Background: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a significant neurological issue after surgery, linked to increased mortality, extended hospital stays, higher costs, and workforce dropout. However, effective prevention methods for POCD remain elusive.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the cognitive function of elderly patients after bronchoscopy.
Design: The research team conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial.
Setting: The study was conducted at a university hospital in Wenzhou, China.
Participants: The study involved 80 patients who underwent bronchoscopy between December 2019 and September 2020.
Intervention: The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, each with 40 participants: the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) for 30 minutes before anesthesia, while the control group had electrodes applied but did not receive stimulation.
Outcome measures: Seven neuropsychological tests were administered before the operation and one day afterwards. Participants were also assessed via telephone after 7 days and one-month post-operation.
Results: The TEAS group exhibited a significant reduction in the incidence of delayed neurocognitive recovery (DNR) compared to the control group on the 7th-day post-operation, although no such difference was observed at 1 day and 30 days post-operation.
Conclusion: TEAS demonstrated positive effects in preventing cognitive decline in elderly patients undergoing bronchoscopy.