A Case Study of Korean Medical Treatment for Indigestion and Abdominal Pain after Gastrectomy

Abstract

Objective: This case study reports the effects of treating a gastric cancer patient who had undergone gastrectomy with Korean medicine.Methods: After gastrectomy, a 77-year-old female patient received acupuncture, electroacupuncture, herbal medicine (<i>Banhabaekchulchunma-tang</i>, <i>Banhahubak-tang</i>), and moxibustion for one month.Results: After treatment, changes were observed in the patient’s numeric rating scale (from 7 to 2); visual analog scale (from 8.7 to 2.6); Short Form-36 Health Survey scores (physical from 20 to 48 and mental from 14 to 53); Functional Dyspepsia-Related Quality of Life results (from 84 to 41); and Korean Nepean Dyspepsia Index (from 63 to 32).Conclusion: Korean medical treatment for dyspepsia following gastrectomy is worthy of further research.