Objective To investigate the anesthetic effect of combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia in microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules and its effect on serum β-endorphin. Methods A total of 60 patients who met the inclusion criteria and received microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group

with 30 patients in each. The patients in the treatment group were given combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia

and those in the control group were given intravenous anesthesia. The two groups were compared in terms of the sedative and analgesic effects of anesthesia

amount of anesthetics used

incidence rate of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression

and change in serum β-endorphin level before anesthesia

before surgery

and after the surgery. Results Both groups obtained satisfactory anesthetic effects. Compared with the control group

the sedation score

the amounts of fentanyl and propofol used

the incidence rates of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression in the treatment group were obviously lower(P<0.05

P<0.01). The treatment group had an increase in serum β-endorphin level before surgery and at the end of surgery(P<0.05)

while the control group showed no significant change in serum β-endorphin level at each time point. Conclusion In microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules

combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia has good sedative and analgesic effects and can reduce the amounts of anesthetics used as well as the incidence rates of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression. The analgesic effect of acupuncture anesthesia is associated with increased β-endorphin secretion.