Acupuncture aids outcomes after heart valve surgery

Acupuncture after heart valve surgery is feasible and safe and has clinical benefit, according to a study recently published in JTCVS Open.

Kim L. Feingold, Ph.D., from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and colleagues randomly assigned (1:1) patients undergoing primary valve surgery via sternotomy to acupuncture (51 individuals) or standard care (49 individuals). Daily inpatient acupuncture sessions started on postoperative day 1.

The researchers found that an average of 3.8 acupuncture sessions were delivered per patient during a mean hospital stay of 4.6 days. Acupuncture was associated with lower pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety after each session and across admission versus standard care.

Additionally, acupuncture was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (acupuncture, 13.7 percent; standard care, 32.7 percent), fewer discharges on amiodarone (acupuncture, 9.8 percent; standard care, 26.5 percent), and fewer hours in the intensive care unit (acupuncture, 30.3; standard care, 37.0).

"We learned that acupuncture after open heart surgery is feasible in this fast-paced environment—even in the intensive care unit the day after surgery—and was well tolerated by patients with no adverse effects," Feingold said in a statement. "The majority of patients had no prior history with acupuncture, demonstrating their openness to receive integrative therapies after surgery. Overall, patients reported that it was a pleasant and positive aspect of their cardiovascular surgery recovery."

Several authors disclosed ties to the medical technology industry.