Objective To observe the supplementary analgesic effect of electroacupuncture and its influence on the maintenance of anesthesia and the speed of recovery of patients undergoing craniotomy. Methods Eighty cases of supratentorial tumor resection were randomly divided into a group A and a group S, 40 cases in each group. All the patients were anesthetized with 2% Sevoflurane. The patients in group A received eleetroacupuneture at Hegu （合谷 LI 4） and Waiguan （外关 TE 5）, Jinmen （金门 BL 63） and Taichong （太冲 LR 3）, Zusanli （足三里 ST 36） and Qiuxtu（丘墟 GB 40） from anesthesia beginning to the end of operation, and in group S without electroacupuncture. tidal Sevoflurane concentration, minimum alveolar concentration （MAC）, bispectral index （BIS） and the information during anesthesia recovery stage were recorded, respectively. Results The end-tidal concentration and MAC of Sevoflurane in group A at all times were significant lower than those in group S （P〈0.05, P〈0.01） with a Sevoflurane saving of 9.62% on average. The BIS in group A during a few phases were higher than that in group S （all P〈0.05）. During anesthesia recovery stage, the time of each phase in group A was significantly shorter than that in group S （all P〈0.01）. No dysphoria and one case with nausea and vomiting were shown in group A, but in group S, 2 patients had dysphoria and 3 patients had nausea and vomiting. Conclusion Electroacupuncture combined with Sevoflurane anesthesia can decrease the dosage of Sevoflurane, shorten the recovery time of anesthesia and improve the quality of anesthesia recovery of the patients undergoing resection of supratentorial tumor.
