Am J Chin Med. 1980 Autumn; 8(3): 271-82.

Acupuncture anesthesia in neurosurgery.

Chen GB.

This paper explores the method of acupuncture anesthesia in craniocerebral operations: selection of cases and preoperative management; selection of acupuncture points and adjustment of stimulus parameters; preoperative administration of drugs and choice of proper adjuvants during the operation; and problems existing in craniocerebral operations during the application of acupuncture anesthesia and their countermeasures. The "triple contrary effects" of acupuncture anesthesia are considered, namely: anti-pain or analgesia, anti-shock, and anti-infection. How acupuncture activates the analgesic effects of the organism is discussed: the spinal afferent pathway for the needling sensations; the role of the caudate nucleus in acupuncture analgesia; and the co-relationship between endorphin in the cerebrospinal fluid and acupuncture analgesia.