ACUPUNCTURE ANESTHESIA IN ANTERIOR ROUTE OPERATIONS ON THE CERVICAL SPINE

Ma Lihua, Wang Kuan, Wang Sulin, Hu Shulan, Dong Fangchun

(The Third Hospital, Bering Medical College, Beijing)

600 cases of anterior route operation on the cervical spine have been performed under acupuncture anesthesia from September 1970, when we first started its use, to March 1983. The results of acupuncture anaesthesia remained stable with a success rate of 99.2% in which Grade I and II constituted 91.5%.

Method: Acupuncture points were bilateral Futu, right Hegu and Waiguan. For donor area of iliac bone grafting subcutaneous acupunctural needles were inserted by the incision. Electrical stimulation of diphasic spike pulse was used with a frequency of 100 Hz. for local points and 2-3 Hz. for "Hegu" and "Waiguan". Induction time was around 30 minutes. Premedication included 50 mg of dolantin or 0.1 mg of fentanyl, 0.3 mg of scopo-lamine, 0.2 mg of luminal and 5 mg of haloperidol if necessary.

Discussion: The stable clinical results of 600 cases of acupuncture anaesthesia, under which anterior route cervical spine operations were done, has shown some definite advantages. This method has become a routine method of anaesthesia for anterior route cervical spine operations in our hospital.

It was necessary to use some medication before and during the operation to supplement acupuncture anaesthesia and to achieve satisfactory results.

Patients with cervical spondylosis were mostly elder and many of them were complicated with diseases of other systems. All patients tolerated the operation well and no accident has happened. Nevertheless, proper management during the operation and close observation of the changes of the patient should not be neglected.