Comparison of Pelvic Autonomic Nerve Function Recovery Between the Group only with Surgery and Group with Additional Acupuncture and Electrotherapy for Treatment in Patients with Rectal Cancer after Anus-Preserving Operation

Abstract

To investigate acupuncture and electro-acupuncture for the recovery of pelvic autonomic nerve in patients with rectal cancer after anus-preserving operation, 120 patients with rectal cancer had anus-preserving operation at the Department of General Surgery in the Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai Affiliated to Fudan University. They were enrolled between 1st October-2015 and 30th June-2017, and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (60 each). Patients in experimental group were treated with acupuncture and electro-acupuncture. Patients in control group were treated with levator ani exercise. After early stage therapy of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture, the recovery time of patients bowel sound in experimental group and control group were 52.6±4.9 hours versus 66.3±6.4 hours (t=13.17, P<0.05), the recovery time was reduced by about 20% in experimental group. The first exhaust time were 60.5±5.7 hours versus 70.3±7.1 hours (t=8.337, P<0.05), the recovery time was reduced by about 10%. The catheter removal-time 5.5±1.3 days versus 7.1±1.4 days (t=6.487, P<0.05), the recovery time was reduced by about 20%. After late stage therapy of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture, fecal incontinence Wexner score, anorectal pressure, pelvic-floor electromyography, urodynamic index, male sexual function and quality of Life Questionnaire-Colorectal Cancer 29 (QLQ-CR29) in experimental group were improved about 2 months ahead of time in comparison with those in control group. So, the therapy of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture can promote the functional recovery of pelvic autonomic nerve after anus-preserving operation.