Acupuncture Anesthesia on Awake Craniotomy
Arief Kurniawan,1 Tatang Bisri2

1Department Anesthesia and Intensive Care Dustira Army Hospital Cimahi, Indonesia.
2Department Anesthesia and Intensive Care Faculty of Medicine Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi, Indonesia.

Abstract

Acupuncture anesthesia is a method of anesthesia by acupuncture. Anesthesia is produced by inserting the needles into points on the body, and the surgery is performed while the patient is quite conscious with the elimination of pain. This method can avoid disorders of physiological function and the post-operative side effect caused by anesthetics. Acupuncture anesthesia is now used on the head, chest, abdominal surgery for people of all ages, and also awake craniotomy. Awake craniotomy is used in intracranial procedures which the anesthesiologist^s role is to provide adequate analgesia and sedation while maintaining ventilation and hemodynamic stability in patients that are still conscious and cooperative during the surgery. A 42 years old man had supratentorial tumor that was suspected oligodendroglioma. He was referred because of vomiting and headaches for three weeks. His laboratory examinations, involving ECG and thoracic images were normal, whereas MSCT showed a hipodens lesion in the left temporal with minimal mass effects. Tumor resection was performed under acupuncture anesthesia on awake craniotomy. The induction of electroacupuncture took 20 minutes with supplemental drugs- midazolam, fentanyl and lidocain given before incision. The operation can be performed smoothly on a cooperative and comfortable patient. He was transferred to the ward after observed at the PACU for 30 minutes without pain and PONV. We conclude that acupuncture anesthetia technique was satisfactory for our patient.

Keywords: acupuncture anesthesia, awake craniotomy, electroacupuncture, supratentorial tumor, supplemental drugs

Topic: Hospital Management