Abstract:Aim: To observe the effect of muscular relaxation induced by transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) by Han's Acupoint Nerve Stimulator (HANS). Method and Result: (1) straight leg raising test: the time periods of straight leg raising for 45 in 20 healthy volunteers were accessed before and after transcutaneous electrical stimulation of 0 (control), 2,100,and 2/100 Hz with HANS. We found that the straight leg raising time was reduced for 20.7% and 40.7% (P<0.05 and P<0.01) by 2/100 and 100Hz Stimulation respectively. (2) Clinical observation: Sixty patients who needed abdominal operations (ASA ) were included. Patients were randomly assigned to HANS (intravenous general anesthesia plus HANS) and control group (intravenous general anesthesia only), with 30 patients in each group. The first dose of general anesthetics and muscular relaxant were identical for both groups. The muscle tension and life signs were monitored during the operation. Whenever the TR value for muscular relaxation raised over 0.25 or the air passage pressure of the anesthesia apparatus was over 2 kPa, 50% of the first dose of anesthetics and muscular relaxant were aded, thus maintaining the operation under optimal anesthesia and muscular relaxation conditions. In HNAS group, 100Hz stimulation were given 20 min before the induction of general anesthesia. The result showed that in HANS group, the total dose of muscular relaxation and anesthesia were reduced for 35% and 20% (P<0.01 and P<0.05),respectively. Conclusion: HANS shows clear muscular relaxation effect in both normal and anesthetized human subjects, which may have a good prospect of clinical application.