Introduction:

Electroacupuncture induces enkephalin and b-endorphin release.

Objective:

To assess the effectiveness and safety of auricular electroacupuncture for postoperative analgesia in elective patients with a surgical diagnosis of skin cancer.

Methods:

A quasiexperimental study of therapeutic intervention was carried out in elective patients with skin cancer diagnosis, at María Curie Provincial Teaching Oncology Hospital of Camagüey, from January 2019 to January 2022. The study universe was two hundred patients. Two groups were made up: the experimental group, integrated by 81 patients, to whom preoperative auricular electroacupuncture was applied; and the control group, made up of 119 patients, to whom conventional treatment was applied.

Results:

Predominance of age between 55 and 59 years was observed for both groups of patients. The statistical test showed, with a reliability of 95 %, that the intensity of postoperative pain changed in relation to the used treatment. Most of the patients previously treated with auricular electroacupuncture did not present postoperative pain (p = 0.000). The employed treatment was statistically significant with respect to the presence of postoperative pain-related complications (p ≤ 0.05). The analgesic effectiveness of electroacupuncture was demonstrated (p = 0.000).

Conclusions:

Auricular electroacupuncture for postoperative analgesia in elective operated patients with skin cancer is effective and safe.

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