The effect of acupuncture on postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting after pediatric tonsillectomy: a systematic review

Introduction Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures among children around the world and management of post tonsillectomy complications are very important. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on the amount of pain, nausea and vomiting after tonsillectomy in children. Methods In this study, two researchers searched individually for qualified articles on the effects of acupuncture on post-tonsillectomy pain, nausea and vomiting using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Google scholar and Ovid databases by September 2018. Results After critically appraising the searched studies, 12 studies were selected and entered into a systematic review. Among the studies, various acupuncture methods were used. Conclusion This systematic review shows that acupuncture as a complementary method can prevent and reduce the severity of complications surrounding tonsillectomy.