Effects of auriculotherapy for postoperative nausea and vomiting: A systematic review protocol
Abstract Background Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a distressing complication of anesthesia and can lead to aspiration, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance. Antiemetic agents are conventionally prescribed to manage PONV; however, they have associated side effects. Therefore, unconventional methods, such as auricular acupuncture (AA), are also utilized to prevent and control emesis after surgery. AA originated in traditional Chinese medicine and is based on a diagnostic and treatment system that aims to normalize dysfunction through stimulation of reflex points on the ear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of AA in controlling PONV. Methods We will perform a systematic review according to the Cochrane methodology. An overall search strategy will be developed and adapted for PubMed, PEDro, the Virtual Health Library, SciELO, EMBASE, the Web of Science, SciVerse Scopus, and the Cochrane Library to search for the following descriptors: “Acupressure”; “Antiemetics”; “Postoperative nausea and vomiting”; “Surgery”; “Auriculotherapy”; “Nausea”; “Vomiting”; and “Postoperative period.” Articles with a mean score of 6 ± 1.5 on the PEDro scale will be evaluated. The size of the intervention effect (Z) will be calculated for each outcome included in this review. The primary outcome will be the incidence of PONV. The secondary outcome will be the severity of PONV. Quality assessment will be performed with the Cochrane instrument. If possible, a meta-analysis will be performed using Review Manager 5.3 software. Discussion Several studies have reported positive outcomes of AA for patients with PONV. This study could provide robust and conclusive evidence of the usefulness of AA as an effective treatment alternative for emesis without the side effects of conventional medication. Trial registration Systematic review registration number: CRD42020149772 (S1 File)
