Acupuncture Analgesia in Total Thyroidectomy for Graves’ Disease: A Case Report

Abstract

This study included a 42-year-old female farmer with a 2-year history of Graves’ disease who visited the hospital for a total thyroidectomy for her grade III goiter based on World Health Organization classification. Besides Hegu (LI4) and Neiguan (PC6), extensively used for acupuncture analgesia in thyroid surgery in previous studies, three additional acupuncture points for acupuncture analgesia in thyroidectomy were evaluated in this study: Shuitu (ST10), Quepen (ST12), and Yifeng (SJ17). In this case, we used an electroacupuncture stimulator to stimulate the acupuncture points and combined acupuncture analgesia with diazepam and atropine sulfate administration as adjunct medications to calm the patient. The operation was completed without any complications. The findings revealed that stimulating the five acupuncture points, i.e., Hegu (LI4), Neiguan (PC6), Shuitu (ST10), Quepen (ST12), and Yifeng (SJ17), for acupuncture analgesia combined with adjunct medications is safe for maintaining an adequate level of analgesia and hemodynamic stability during thyroidectomy.

Keywords

• acupuncture analgesia
• beta-endorphin
• electroacupuncture
• hyperthyroidism
• thyroidectomy