Acupuncture Promising treatment after heart Valve Surgery

In a groundbreaking pilot trial, acupuncture has emerged as a potential game-changer in the realm of post-cardiac surgery treatment. The study found that acupuncture after valve surgery is feasible, well tolerated, and has potential clinical benefits. The trial results were published in the journal JTCVS Open.

While acupuncture has long been recognized for its effectiveness in treating arrhythmias and alleviating postoperative symptoms, its application in the context of heart surgery has remained unexplored. Hence researchers conducted a prospective, randomized, and controlled trial called "Acupuncture After Heart Surgery" to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of daily inpatient acupuncture following valve surgery. The results of this pioneering trial are nothing short of promising.

The trial involved 100 patients who, notably, had no history of atrial fibrillation. These patients underwent primary valve surgery via sternotomy and were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or standard care at a 1:1 ratio. Patients in the acupuncture group began receiving daily inpatient acupuncture sessions starting on the first day after their surgery. The primary endpoint of the study was to determine the feasibility of acupuncture in this postoperative setting, while secondary endpoints included the reduction in postoperative atrial fibrillation incidence and postoperative symptoms such as pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety.

Findings:

• The results of the "Acupuncture After Heart Surgery" pilot trial were overwhelmingly positive.
• Notably, there were no reported adverse events, indicating that acupuncture was well-tolerated in this postoperative context.
• On average, each patient in the acupuncture group received 3.8 acupuncture sessions during their hospital stay, which had a mean duration of 4.6 days. 
• The impact of acupuncture on postoperative symptoms was remarkable.
• Patients who received acupuncture reported a significant reduction in pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety following each session (P < .0001).
• Furthermore, these benefits extended throughout their admission, demonstrating that acupuncture had a lasting positive impact on postoperative stress and anxiety levels compared to standard care (P = .049 and P = .036, respectively).
• One of the most significant findings was the effect of acupuncture on postoperative atrial fibrillation incidence.
• The incidence of atrial fibrillation was significantly lower in the acupuncture group, with 13.7% of patients experiencing it compared to 32.7% in the standard care group (P = .028).
• Fewer patients in the acupuncture group required amiodarone treatment (9.8%) compared to the standard care group (26.5%), indicating a reduced need for this medication (P = .03).
• Additionally, acupuncture seemed to contribute to shorter stays in the intensive care unit, with patients in the acupuncture group spending an average of 30.3 hours there, compared to 37.0 hours in the standard care group (P = .057).

Thus, the "Acupuncture After Heart Surgery" pilot trial demonstrated the feasibility, safety, and clinical benefits of incorporating acupuncture into the postoperative care of valve surgery patients. The significant reduction in postoperative atrial fibrillation incidence is particularly noteworthy, as it has the potential to impact patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. These promising results lay the foundation for larger trials aimed at further investigating the impact of acupuncture on postoperative atrial fibrillation and overall medical outcomes.

Further reading: Acupuncture after valve surgery is feasible and shows promise in reducing postoperative atrial fibrillation: The ACU-Heart pilot trial. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjon.2023.05.010