Efeito da eletroacupuntura em gatas (felis catus domesticus) anestesiadas por isofluorano e submetidas à ovariosalpingohisterectomia

Abstract

Acupuncture is a way of treating and causing analgesia by inserting needles into the skin at certain points. Among those methods to stimulate such points, electroacupuncture (EA) distinguishes itself because it causes preemptive analgesia with cardiorespiratory stability and reduces anesthetic dosage. In this regard, the goal of this work was to evaluate anesthetic consumption and cardiorespiratory parameters in 20 female cats pretreated with acepromazine, anesthetized with isoflurane, stimulated in the pre- and transoperative periods with EA, and submitted to elective ovariosalpingohysterectomy. The cats were gathered into two groups: G1 (control) and G2 (electroacupuncture). Once reached the steadystate level, needles were inserted at false points along the G1 cats body, with the electrostimulation device being kept off. Regarding the G2 cats, needles were bilaterally inserted at the points Zusanli (ST36) and Yanglingquan (GB34), with electroacupuncture being performed at frequencies of 2 and 100 Hz, in square wave, with alternating current, and intensity ranging from 2 to 3 mA; it begun 30 minutes prior to the surgery and lasted till the end of the latter. In this double-blind study, variables studied were isoflurane consumption, body temperature, respiratory and heart rate, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and mean arterial pressure. Comparatively with the control group, electroacupuncture increased oxyhemoglobin saturation (p<0,05) and reduced mean arterial pressure (p<0,05). There was no relevant difference between G1 and G2 concerning the other variables.