Effects of Acupuncture Stimulation on Systemic Inflammation in Patients Undergoing Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy Surgery

60 ASA physical status I or II patients, aged 18-75 years old , scheduled for elective video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy surgery,will be randomized into 2 groups,with 30 patients in each group: 1. control group, who will receive total intravenous anesthesia(TIVA) and sham stimulation; and 2. treatment group, who will receive (TIVA) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS). Since 30 min before induction of anesthesia, patients in treatment group will be stimulated at the 4 acupoints , Houxi、Zhigou、Neiguan and Hegu on both sides by Han's Acupoint Nerve Stimulator(HANS) until the end of the operation. At 6h and 24h after surgery, patients in treatment group will receive TEAS again, for 30 min each time.The frequency was 2/100Hz,the stimulate intensity was the maximum current that could be tolerated when the patients were awake.The control group received only TIVA general anesthesia and sham electrical stimulation.Serum from patients of both groups will be collected at before surgery, 1h and 25h after surgery, respectively and serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, CXCL8, IFN gamma and IL-4 at different time points will be measured. The primary outcome measures are serum TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta levels at 25h after surgery. The secondary outcome measures include serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, CXCL8, Th1/Th2 ratio (by calculating IFN gamma/IL-4) at 1h post surgery and serum levels of CXCL8, Th1/Th2 ratio at 25h post surgery.