Wang G, Pan SJ. Integrative acupoint stimulation within enhanced recovery after surgery: Harnessing the neuroimmune axis for enhanced gastrointestinal recovery. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(3): 114048 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i3.114048]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Gang Wang, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. 286651551@qq.com
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Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Editorial
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Jan 21, 2026 (publication date) through Jan 18, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Gastroenterology
ISSN
1007-9327
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Wang G, Pan SJ. Integrative acupoint stimulation within enhanced recovery after surgery: Harnessing the neuroimmune axis for enhanced gastrointestinal recovery. World J Gastroenterol 2026; 32(3): 114048 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i3.114048]
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 21, 2026; 32(3): 114048 Published online Jan 21, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v32.i3.114048
Integrative acupoint stimulation within enhanced recovery after surgery: Harnessing the neuroimmune axis for enhanced gastrointestinal recovery
Gang Wang, Sheng-Jie Pan
Gang Wang, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Sheng-Jie Pan, Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Gang Wang and Sheng-Jie Pan.
Author contributions: Wang G and Pan SJ served as co-corresponding authors. Wang G contributed to the conceptualization, methodology, literature review, and writing - original draft; Pan SJ contributed to the critical revision, writing - review & editing, and supervision.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Gang Wang, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. 286651551@qq.com
Received: September 10, 2025 Revised: October 23, 2025 Accepted: December 2, 2025 Published online: January 21, 2026 Processing time: 128 Days and 9.9 Hours
Abstract
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have transformed perioperative care, yet delayed gastrointestinal function and excessive neuroendocrine stress remain major obstacles to optimal recovery. Hong et al’s randomized controlled trial embedded acupoint-based neuromodulation - meridian-timed acupoint application combined with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation - within an ERAS framework and demonstrated accelerated gastrointestinal recovery accompanied by endocrine attenuation. This article offers a structured critical appraisal of the trial, emphasizing methodological rigor, mechanistic plausibility, and alignment with ERAS core principles of stress mitigation, functional restoration, and patient experience. The observed reductions in norepinephrine, cortisol, and aldosterone suggest modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a key mediator of benefit. Future research priorities include multicenter, sham-controlled validation; integration of autonomic and inflammatory biomarkers (heart rate variability, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein); and pragmatic evaluation of cost-effectiveness and acceptability. Positioning acupoint stimulation within precision-integrative perioperative care could advance ERAS from a recovery protocol to a system of host-response modulation. Integrative acupoint neuromodulation thus represents a biologically coherent, low-risk, and scalable strategy for enhancing resilience, accelerating gastrointestinal recovery, and improving surgical outcomes worldwide.
Core Tip: Integrative acupoint stimulation, combining meridian flow injection and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, enhances postoperative gastrointestinal recovery within enhanced recovery after surgery protocols by modulating the neuroimmune axis. This approach accelerates return of bowel function, attenuates stress hormone surges, reduces complications, and improves patient satisfaction. By bridging traditional therapies with modern mechanistic understanding, it exemplifies a precision supportive care strategy in gastrointestinal surgery and highlights the potential of multimodal perioperative interventions to optimize recovery, resilience, and long-term outcomes.
