Objective To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation（TEAS） combined with electroacupuncture（EA） on rehabilitation after abdominal surgery. Methods A total of 320 patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly divided into a combination group（80 cases）

a TEAS group（80 cases

1 case discontinued）

an EA group（80 cases

1 case discontinued） and a control group（80 cases

1 case discontinued）. The patients in the control group received enhance recovery after surgery（ERAS） standardized perioperative management. On the basis of the treatment in the control group

the TEAS group was treated with TEAS at Liangmen（ST 21） and Daheng（SP 15）; the EA group was treated with EA at Neiguan（PC 6）

Hegu（LI 4）

Zusanli（ST 36）

Shangjuxu（ST 37） and Xiajuxu（ST 39）; the combination group was treated with TEAS combined with EA

with continuous wave

2-5 Hz in frequency

and the intensity was tolerable to the patients

30 min each time

once a day

from the first day after surgery

until the anus resumed spontaneous defecation and the oral intake of solid food was tolerated. The gastrointestinal-2（GI-2） time

first exhaust time

first defecation time

first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time

time of first get out of bed and hospital stay were observed in all the groups; the pain visual analogue scale（VAS） score and incidence rates of nausea and vomiting 1

2

3 days after surgery were compared in all the groups; after treatment

the acceptability of each treatment was evaluated by patients in each group.Results Compared with the control group

the GI-2 time

first exhaust time

first defecation time

first tolerance of oral intake of solid food time were shortened（P<0.05）

the VAS scores 2

3 days after surgery were decreased（P<0.05） in the combination group

the TEAS group and the EA group; those in the combination group were shorter and lower than the TEAS group and the EA group（P<0.05）. Compared with the control group

the time of hospital stay in the combination group

the TEAS group and the EA group were shortened（P<0.05）

and that in the combination group was shorter than the TEAS group（P<0.05）. Conclusion TEAS combined with EA can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after abdominal surgery

relieve postoperative pain

and shorten hospital stay.