Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoints Stimulation Improves Spontaneous Voiding Recovery After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Facilitating the recurrence of spontaneous voiding is considered to be a way to prevent urinary retention after surgery, which is of great importance in cholecystectomy. This study aimed to assess the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on spontaneous voiding recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectom. Methods Participants who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to either the TEAS group or the sham group. Active TEAS or sham TEAS at specific acupuncture points was conducted intraoperatively and postoperatively. The primary outcome was the recovery speed of spontaneous voiding ability after surgery and secondary outcomes included postoperative urinary retention (POUR), voiding dysfunction, pain, anxiety and depression, and early recovery after surgery. Results A total of 1,948 participants were recruited and randomized to TEAS ( n = 975) or sham ( n = 973) between August 2018 and June 2020. TEAS shortens the time delay of the first spontaneous voiding after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (5.6 h [IQR, 3.7–8.1 h] in the TEAS group vs 7.0 h [IQR, 4.7–9.7 h] in the sham group) ( p