Effect of percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: A total of 104 patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic benign tumor resection in our hospital were prospectively enrolled and divided into either a percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation group (T group) or a sham stimulation group (F group) using a random number table method, with 52 cases in each group. Patients in the T group received one 30-minute session of percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation. followed by 30 min in the post-anesthesia care unit, while patients in the F group received sham stimulation for the same duration. The postoperative gastrointestinal recovery time, gastrointestinal symptom score, and postoperative feeding-nausea-vomiting-examination-symptom duration score (I-FEED) were recorded and compared between the two groups. Additionally, postoperative pain score and sleep status (sleep score and incidence of sleep disorders), the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions, postoperative hospitalization time, and quality of life score were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared to the F group, the recovery time of gastrointestinal function in the T group was shorter, and the I-FEED and gastrointestinal symptom scores on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd day after operation were significantly lower. The incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal intolerance and postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in the T group was lower (all P < 0.05). At the same time, the NRS of patients in the T group decreased on the 1st and 3rd day after operation, the sleep quality was better than that in the F group, and the incidence of sleep disorders was lower than that of the F group (all P < 0.05). Finally, the incidence of postoperative nausea, vomiting and dizziness in group T was lower than that in the F group; however, there was no significant difference in the incidence of bradycardia, hypotension or postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (P > 0.05). In addition, the quality of life of patients in group T was better than that of group F (P = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduce the score of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, relieve postoperative pain, and improve the score of sleep and postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic benign resection.