Am J Chin Med. 1983 ; 11(1-4): 123-9.

Changes in the electrical skin resistance on meridians during gastric surgery under general anesthesia.

Ogata H, Matsumoto T, Tsukahara H.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate how the skin resistance on accumulation points is modified by general anesthesia in gastric surgery and whether the stomach meridian shows particular changes or not. Ten patients were inducted with 5 mg/kg of thiopental and maintained with nitrous oxide-oxygen-halothane. The skin resistance on 12 meridians decreased gradually from an average of 432 K alpha before anesthesia to an average of 266 K alpha at the end of surgery. However, the kidney and the bladder meridians showed a trend to exceptional increase by a maximum of 100 and 73 percent, respectively. The skin resistance on the stomach meridian showed only a 23 percent decrease and no particular changes. No significant difference was noted in the change rate of meridians between the Yin and Yang groups. Comparison of these changes with those under acupuncture or local anesthesia during ophthalmic surgery was discussed.