To explore the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the recovery of gastrointestinal function in the patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia combined with abdominal transverse plane block.

Seventy-eight patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy in the hospital from January 2023 to December 2023 were selected and divided into two groups according to the random number table method, 39 patients in each group. The control group was operated under general anesthesia combined with abdominal transverse plane block. The acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group added postoperative acupuncture and moxibustion intervention on the basis of the control group. The postoperative pain, gastrointestinal function recovery time, gastrointestinal symptom scores (GIS), inflammatory factor levels and postoperative complication rates of the patients in the two groups were compared.

There was no significant difference in visual analog scale (VAS) scores between the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group and the control group 24 and 48 hours after operation (P>0.05). The VAS score of the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group [(4.16±1.07) points] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(4.89±1.18) points]72 hours after operation, with a statistical difference (P<0.05). The disappearance time of abdominal distension [(31.42±4.51) h], the time of first exhaust [(36.94±5.30) h] and the time of first defecation [(51.79±7.15) h] in the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(33.62±3.94) h, (41.22±5.08) h, (56.30±8.16) h]. There was a statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in GIS scores between the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group and the control group 24 hours after operation (P>0.05). The GIS score of the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group [(18.62±1.72) points] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(21.38±1.94) points]48 and 72 hours after operation, with a statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.05). On postoperative day 1, there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) or soluble interleukin-2 (sIL-2) between the two groups (P>0.05). At the time of discharge, the above indexes of the two groups were reduced, and the levels of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and sIL-2 in the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group were (18.70±2.11) pg/mL, (17.25±2.51) pg/mL and (60.82±6.08) pg/mL, respectively, lower than those in the control group [(21.49±1.97) pg/mL, (19.32±2.60) pg/mL and (64.26±5.76) pg/mL], with a statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the acupuncture and moxibustion intervention group was 7.69%, lower than that in the control group (12.82%), but there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

The application of acupuncture and moxibustion in the patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia combined with abdominal transverse plane block has a satisfactory effect. It can alleviate the postoperative pain, promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function and also reduce inflammatory reaction, which is conducive to postoperative rehabilitation of the patients. It is worthy of applying.