Effects of electroacupuncture-assisted tubeless anesthesia versus double-lumen endotracheal intubation anesthesia on the quality of postoperative recovery in thoracoscopic surgery: A propensity score-matched retrospective study

We replaced the traditional double-lumen endotracheal intubation anesthesia strategy with an electroacupuncture-assisted tubeless anesthesia strategy to investigate its impact on the quality of postoperative recovery. In this retrospective study, 215 patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery were allocated to a tubeless group (Group T, n = 56), receiving electroacupuncture (at Hegu [LI4], Lieque [LU7], Neiguan [PC6], and Chize [LU5]) combined with regional blocks, or a control group (Group C, n = 159), receiving standard intubation. The primary outcome was the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 24 hours postoperatively. The secondary outcomes were QoR-15 scores at 48 and 72 hours postoperatively, total intraoperative opioid consumption, postanesthesia care unit stay duration, blood gas analysis results, number of patient-controlled analgesia pump presses, time to first oral intake, time to first ambulation, length of hospital stay, hospitalization costs, and incidence rates of postoperative nausea and vomiting, postoperative sore throat, and postoperative pulmonary complications. The QoR-15 scores at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively were significantly higher in Group T than in Group C ( P  < .001; P  < .001, respectively). Despite higher perioperative PaCO ₂ , the tubeless group demonstrated a significantly shorter postanesthesia care unit stay, reduced opioid use, fewer complications, and faster overall recovery. The electroacupuncture-assisted tubeless anesthesia strategy offers significantly improved quality of postoperative recovery, faster patient rehabilitation, shorter overall hospital stay, and lower hospital costs.