Table 2.
Main characteristics of included RCTs.
| Study (reference) | Country | Sample size (A)/(B) | Mean age (A)/(B) | Gender (M : F) (A)/(B) | (A) Treatment group | (B)Control group | Acupoints | Outcomes | Conclusion (+/−) | |
| Primary outcomes | Secondary outcomes | |||||||||
| Erden et al., 2017 [31] | Turkey | 31/29 | 46.77/45.64 | A: (6 : 25) B: (3 : 25) | MA + (B) | CM (tramadol) | Ri Yue (GB24), Yang Ling Quan (GB34), Guang Ming (GB37), di Wu Hui (GB42), Xing Jian (LR2), Nei Gu (PC6), He Gu (LI4) | Postoperative pain scores (NRS) | (1) Postoperate satisfaction index (2) Analgesic consumption |
Despite detection of a reduction in postoperative pain scores, the application of acupuncture did not cause any change in the consumption of tramadol (+) |
| Chang et al., 2019 [32] | China | 45/45 | (39.72 ± 5.08)/c(39.41 ± 5.25) | A: (31 : 14) B: (28 : 17) | EA + (B) | CM | San Yin Jiao (SP6), Nei Guan (PC6), Zu san Li (ST37) | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time, 1st flatus time, and 1st bowel sounds time) | (1) Visual analogue rating of nausea (2) Ventriculin |
Electroacupuncture can promote postoperative recovery of patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and regulate gastric peristalsis (+) |
| Cui 2006 [33] | China | 275/112 | 39.6/40.5 | A: (85 : 190)cB: (23 : 89) | EA + TCM + (B) | CM | Zu san Li (ST38) | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time, 1st flatus time, and 1st bowel sounds time) | — | Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine can promote postoperative recovery of patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (+) |
| Xiaoqian 2018 [34] | China | 50/50 | (50.5 ± 7.0)/(50.3 ± 5.0) | (40 : 60) | AM + (B) | CM (cisapride) | Zhong Wan (RN12), Dan shu (BL19), Gan shu (BL18), Nei Guan (PC6), Zu san Li (ST36) | The clinical curative effect | (1) The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time, 1st flatus time, and 1st bowel sounds time) (2) PONV |
MA can promote recovery of gastrointestinal function after cystic resection adjustment (+) |
| Shangbo 2016 [35] | China | 30/30 | (46.27 ± 6.39)/(45.72 ± 6.18) | A: (17 : 13) B: (14 : 16) | MA + (B) | CM | Gong sun (SP4), shang Ju Xu (ST37), Nei Guan (PC6), Zu san Li (ST36) | Postoperative pain scores | (1) The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time, 1st flatus time, and 1st bowel sounds time) (2) Ventriculin (GAS) (3) PONV |
For patients undergoing cholecystectomy, acupuncture on the basis of CM therapy can achieve better efficacy than CM of patients (+) |
| Hui 2018 [36] | China | 76/76 | (37.6 ± 5.1)/(35.8 ± 8.5) | A: (41 : 35) B: (39 : 37) | EA + auricular therapy + (B) | CM | Nei Guan (PC6), He Gu (LI4), Zu san Li (ST36) | Postoperative pain scores | (1) The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first flatus time and 1st bowel sounds time) (2) PONV |
Electroacupuncture combined with auricular therapy can significantly improve the recovery of patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (+) |
| Liu and Zhang 2013 [37] | China | 55/55 | (51.4 ± 10.2)/(50.6 ± 9.7) | A: (16 : 39) B: (18 : 37) | MA | CM (ondansetron) | Nei Guan (PC6), Tian Tu (RN22), Zu san Li (ST37), Ju Que (RN14), Xia Wan (RN10), Bu Rong (ST19), Tai Yi (ST23) | PONV | Adverse events | Acupuncture is efficacy and safe in treating vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (+) |
| Shen 2017 [38] | China | 37/37 | 49.3 | (26 : 48) | AM + TCM + (B) | CM | Yang Ling Quan (GB34), Zu san Li (ST38), san Yin Jiao (SP6), Nei Guan (PC6) | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first flatus time and 1st bowel sounds time) | (1) PONV. (2) Adverse events |
After cholecystectomy, acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine can shorten the recovery time of gastrointestinal function and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions (+) |
| Shen 2014 [39] | China | 57/57 | (36.5 ± 12.7)/(35.0 ± 11.3) | A: (26 : 31) B: (25 : 32) | MA + (B) | CM (metoclopramide) | Nei Guan (PC6), Tian Tu (RN22), Zu san Li (ST37), Ju Que (RN14), Xia Wan (RN10), Bu Rong (ST19), Tai Yi (ST23) | The clinical curative effect | Adverse events | Metaclopramide and acupuncture are effective in treating PONV with minor adverse reaction (+) |
| Jing 2017 [40] | China | 40/40 | (47.23 ± 11.68)/(48.12 ± 14.47) | A: (17 : 23) B: (17 : 23) | MA + (B) | CM | Shang Ju Xu (ST37), Zu san Li (ST36), san Yin Jiao (SP6) | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time, 1st flatus time, and 1st bowel sounds time) | (1) The clinical curative effect (2) Adverse events |
Acupuncture is efficacy and safe in treating the recovery of gastrointestinal function after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (+) |
| Wang 2016 [41] | China | 30/30 | (53.50 ± 8.30)/(51.30 ± 8.10) | A: (13 : 17) B: (14 : 16) | EA | CM (morphine) | Zu san Li (ST37), Tai Chong (ST23), Yang Ling Quan (GB34) | Pain intensity, the nausea incidence and the vomiting incidence | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time and 1st flatus time) | Electroacupuncture could effectively relieve postoperative pain and promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function after operation, which reduced the incidence of PONV without excessive sedation (+) |
| Xiaobing and Jiahe 2018 [42] | China | 52/52 | (55.23 ± 3.4)/(56.37 ± 3.1) | A: (30 : 22) B: (24 : 28) | MA + (B) | CM | Zu san Li (ST37), Xia Wan (RN10), Zhong Wan (RN12), Guan Yuan (RN4), Hua Rou Men (ST24), Qi Hai (RN6) | The clinical effective | (1) The recovery of gastrointestinal function (first defecation time and 1st flatus time) (2) Ventriculin (MMP-9, TIMP-1) (3) Quality of life |
Moxibustion and combined with MA for postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy has good therapeutic significance (+) |
| Xiao 2012 [43] | China | 60/60 | 18–78 | A: (44 : 16) B: (40 : 20) | MA | CM (fentanyl and morphine) | Yang Ling Quan (GB34), He Gu (LI4), Zu san Li (ST38), san Yin Jiao (SP6), Nei Guan (PC6), Dan Nang (EX-LE6), A shi point | Postoperative pain scores | Adverse events | Acupuncture is effective in the analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and has fewer adverse reactions such as the digestive tract (+) |
| Yang and Liu 2008 [44] | China | 32/30 | (68.59 ± 2.44)/(69.97 ± 1.59) | A: (11 : 21) B: (8 : 22) | EA + (B) | CM | Zu san Li (ST38), san Yin Jiao (SP6) | The recovery of gastrointestinal function (1st flatus time) | — | The treatment of acupuncture can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (+) |