Effect of ERAS protocol and Thunder-Fire Moxibustion on postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction of colorectal cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62767/jecacm702.4665Keywords:
enhanced recovery after surgery, colorectal cancer, postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction, thunder-fire moxibustion, randomized controlled trial, Traditional Chinese Medicine nursingAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of thunder-fire moxibustion, grounded in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) principles, on postoperative gastrointestinal function in colorectal cancer patients. Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of seventy patients who had undergone colorectal cancer surgery were recruited from the general surgery department of a tertiary Grade A hospital in Zhejiang Province from January 2024 to January 2025. These participants were randomly allocated into two groups of equal size (35 per group). Standard ERAS nursing care was administered to the control group. In addition to the standard ERAS care provided to the control group, participants in the experimental group underwent thunder-fire moxibustion applied to designated acupoints (bilateral Zusanli-ST36, Shangjuxu-ST37, and Xiajuxu-ST39). Observations and comparisons between the groups focused on several outcomes: the intervals to first flatus, first defecation, and first oral intake, along with the duration of postoperative hospitalization, assessment of abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Results: The time to first flatus, time to first defecation, and time to first oral intake were significantly shorter in the experimental group compared to the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the experimental group demonstrated a lower score on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), a difference that exhibited statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: When implemented within the ERAS framework, thunder-fire moxibustion, a characteristic Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy, may mitigate the surgical stress response and augment parasympathetic nerve activity, which in turn facilitates the restoration of gastrointestinal function following colorectal cancer surgery. It significantly shortened recovery time in our patient cohort and demonstrated promising clinical efficacy in this study.
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The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
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