Evaluation of the intraoperative analgesic effects of perioperative electroacupuncture: a randomised blinded clinical trial in dogs.

(233 words) Objective To evaluate the effect of perioperative electroacupuncture (EA) on intraoperative analgesia requirements for tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) surgery in dogs. Study design Prospective, randomised, blinded, controlled clinical study. Animal population Twenty-nine client-owned dogs diagnosed with cranial cruciate ligament rupture that underwent TTA surgery. Methods Dogs were treated with EA at predefined acupuncture points (LI-4, ST-36, LIV-3, SP-6 and GB-34) perioperatively as additional analgesia (Group EA, n = 14) or were allocated to the control group (Group C, n = 15). All dogs were anaesthetised with a standardised protocol including methadone, dexmedetomidine, propofol and ketamine. The intraoperative delivery of sevoflurane and fentanyl was guided in response to signs of nociception by a purpose-designed flow chart by the same anaesthetist who was blinded to treatment group. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was applied for the fentanyl consumption analysis. Mean arterial blood pressure and end-tidal sevoflurane were descriptively analysed between groups for specific time points. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results The EA group needed significantly less fentanyl with 0.7 (0–2.7) mcg kg -1 hour -1 given versus 2.0 (1.2–5.5) mcg kg -1 hour -1 in group C ( p = 0.031). Fifty percent of the EA group was not given a fentanyl bolus, whereas all dogs in group C required at least one bolus. Conclusion and clinical relevance Perioperative EA reduced mean fentanyl consumption by more than 60% in dogs undergoing TTA surgery.