Acupuncture used as anesthetic in Mac surgery; Woman feeling 'great' after procedure done without benefit of drugs
The Spectator
Wed 05 May 2004
Page: A5
Section: Local
Byline: Meredith Macleod
Source: The Hamilton Spectator
Kate Daley just doesn't trust anesthetics so when she learned she needed surgery on her uterus, she opted to try acupuncture.
She was told by doctors she was crazy. Even acupuncturists couldn't believe she'd risk painful surgery using the treatment.
But the last time she had a spinal anesthetic, it took months to recover from the lethargy. She blames her mother's profound depression and loss of motor skills and memory on general anesthetics. She said she will take no more chances on the drugs.
"Our body has its own chemicals to be stimulated to deal with pain in a natural way. Why deal with your body trying to get rid of chemicals for weeks?"
But the Toronto woman could find no acupuncturists there with hospital privileges and no doctor who would agree to perform a D & C (dilatation and curettage) on a patient without anesthetic. The procedure removes the lining of the uterus -- typically to control heavy menstrual periods or to empty a uterus after a miscarriage. It can be quite painful.
But Daley, who hadn't had any experience with acupuncture, was determined. She eventually tracked down a program at McMaster that teaches acupuncture to doctors, chiropractors, nurses and physiotherapists.
Dr. Angelica Fargas-Babjak, an anesthesiologist and acupuncture specialist, agreed to help Daley. Obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Caroline Sibley at McMaster agreed to do the procedure as long as Daley allowed an IV in her hand in case drugs were needed.
"I'm not going to do surgery on someone who is in agony," said Sibley. "Acupuncture is definitely for the committed. Those who think 'I believe this is going to help me. It's going to work.' It's definitely not for everyone."
That was 14 months ago. Yesterday, Daley underwent the procedure for a second time with acupuncture, and Sibley also scoped her uterus for polyps and to rule out cancer.
It was only the third time that surgery has been performed with acupuncture at McMaster. The first time was gall bladder surgery on another Toronto woman who had previous bad reactions to anesthetic.
Daley's procedure took less than 10 minutes, but setting up the acupuncture needles took more than twice that.
"Most people think of the long needles as very painful but it isn't," Daley said, minutes before the insertion of needles began. "It's like a pinprick. It's not being stabbed."
When Daley had the D&C 14 months ago, she said she felt "distant" during the procedure. There was no pain but she felt sensation and heard voices. She said recovery was immediate.
Yesterday, Daley appeared groggy and relaxed as she was wheeled into the procedure room. Fargas-Babjak and protege Dr. Meena Nandagopal had spent about 20 minutes inserting 24 needles along Daley's spine, in her scalp and ears and into her stomach. They are up to several inches long and are very fine and flexible. They leave no skin or tissue damage behind because they are solid steel.
Once the needles are in place, the doctors attach small electrodes like those on car battery cables which conduct a very mild electric current.
Daley said it felt as if someone was fluttering their fingers along her back or that water was rolling along her skin.
Fargas-Babjak says acupuncture is very useful in treating pain, anxiety and a whole host of complaints such as insomnia, arthritis and indigestion. She said it's also essential to maintaining overall health. Acupuncture is growing as an alternative treatment in Western medicine. The McMaster acupuncture program began in 1998 and now has about 300 graduates around the world.
It's about changing how the body perceives and reacts to pain, she said. "It's about releasing what is already there and knowing which switches to press and which to release."
OHIP doesn't cover acupuncture.
"We should be using acupuncture much more," said Fargas-Babjak. "Our bodies are always trying to maintain balance. Headaches, high blood pressure, ulcers and insomnia are signs our bodies are out of balance. Acupuncture restores that balance in the body."
During the procedure, Daley's heart rate remained steady at about 70 beats a minute and her blood pressure changed only slightly. She displayed little reaction as Sibley worked.
"I feel great," Daley said minutes after the procedure. "More people just need to open their minds to the fact that drugs aren't always the way to go."
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