Electroacupuncture helps treat postoperative urinary retention in women

A review in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggests evidence of the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in treating postoperative urinary retention in women. In the review, researchers from the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine looked at randomized control trials (RCTs) to determine the safety and efficacy of the procedure.

• The team collected data using 13 databases until April 2018. The RCTs included those of women with postoperative urinary retention. Studies about other types of urinary retention or those that did not have RCTs were excluded.
• The characteristics of the studies were extracted independently, and all disagreements were resolved through a consensus.
• The researchers found up to moderate levels of evidence that indicate treatment was statistically significant. In particular, they noted that electroacupuncture improved the condition: Residual urine volume was decreased; bladder capacity and urinary flow rate increased; and, first urination post-surgery was earlier than physical exercise, medication, and control.

In sum, the researchers highlighted the need for more large-scale, long term RCTs that will further validate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in postoperative urinary retention.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Zhong Y, Zeng F, Li J, Yang Y, Zhong S, Song Y. ELECTROACUPUNCTURE FOR POSTOPERATIVE URINARY RETENTION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 26 July 2018;2018:1–17. DOI: 10.1155/2018/7612618