SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Gastroenterology
This article is part of the Research TopicReviews in Gastroenterology 2025View all 9 articles
The efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic surgery: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
- 2Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, China
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Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication after laparoscopic surgery, which may cause fluid and electrolyte imbalance and delay postoperative recovery. Pharmacological interventions are only partially effective and have adverse effects. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in managing PONV after laparoscopic surgery. Methods We systematically review Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two investigators independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analyses were performed in RevMan 5.4 and heterogeneity was assessed using I2. Outcomes included PONV, postoperative nausea (PON), postoperative vomiting (POV), time to first flatus, and antiemetic rescue requirements. Results Nine RCTs involving 2550 participants (1272 in the TEAS group and 1278 in the control group) were analyzed. TEAS significantly reduced PONV incidence (RR=0.78, 95% CI [0.70, 0.87]; P<0.001), PON incidence (RR=0.69, 95% CI [0.67, 0.82]; P<0.001) and POV incidence (RR=0.57, 95% CI [0.43–0.78]; P<0.001). The intervention shortened the time to first flatus after surgery (MD=−3.36 hours, 95% CI [−6.65, −0.21]; P=0.04) and decreased the use for antiemetic rescue medication (RR=0.67, 95% CI [0.52, 0.87]; P=0.002). Conclusions Our findings suggest that TEAS may be an effective adjunctive nonpharmacological treatment for PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. When used in combination with standard antiemetic prophylaxis, TEAS can further reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting, decrease the need for rescue antiemetics, and shorten the time to first flatus, thereby demonstrating significant added value in facilitating postoperative recovery.
Keywords: laparoscopic surgery, Meta-analysis, PONV, Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, Teas, Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
Received: 22 Oct 2025; Accepted: 19 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Qin, Liu, He, Liu, Liu, Wang and Fang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Shirong Fang
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