Postoperative Analgesia After Low Frequency Electroacupuncture

Postoperative Analgesia After Low Frequency Electroacupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in Inguinal Hernia Surgery With Abdominal Wall Mesh Reconstruction

The purpose of this study is to determine whether electroacupuncture is a effective tool to the postoperative analgesia

The electroacupuncture is a known therapeutic modality with particular application to pain. In this study the investigators investigate the effect of electroacupuncture in condition of surgery, which is a particularly painful situation. The investigators will verify the postoperative analgesia, as patients will receive either electroacupuncture or placebo electroacupuncture.

inclusion criteria:

• healthy male volunteers
• 18-75 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

• bilateral or recurrent hernia
• significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, neurological disease
• psychiatric history
• use of opioids until the last month
• body mass index greater than 30
• treatment with beta-blockers
• aged over 75
• previous experience with acupuncture
• hypersensitivity to opioids
• pacemaker patient
• patients being treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.