Anaesthesist. 1980 Sep; 29(9): 454-8.

[Postoperative hypalgesia following electrostimulation -- anaesthesia by stimulation of typical acupuncture points (author's transl)]

Baum J, LÃ¶tters G.

"Postoperative hypalgesia" following electroacupuncture or electrostimulation anesthesia is considered to be a notable advantage of these techniques, which supports the thesis, that endorphines may be involved in the mechanism of pain relief by these methods. After establishing definitive criteria postoperative hypalgesia was observed in 50% of patients undergoing operations on the lumbar vertebral column with electroacupuncture. A comparative investigation using psychological tests showed, that these patients are more pain tolerant than those, in whom postoperative hypalgesia was not observed. Observation alone of the patients during the postoperative period is unreliable to assess real postoperative pain relief objectively. Exact documentation and critical proof of the phenomenon of "postoperative hypalgesia" must be emphasized. These may be possible essentials to establish optimal methods of electrostimulation -- anesthesia.