Introduction: Postoperative hemodynamic monitoring by nurses provides accessible information about the patient's cardiovascular function. Patients often experience the vital signs increase due to the activation of sympathetic system. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve stimulation (TENS) in acupuncture points with the incision site on physiologic parameters after appendectomy.

Methods: This is one-blinded randomized control trial study. 140 patients after appendectomy were selected and randomly were divided into four groups (2 groups for testing, placebo and control group). In two TENS groups in incision site and acupuncture points, electrical stimulation has done for 20 minutes with 100 Hz frequency and physiologic parameters were evaluated before and after the intervention. ANOVA and repeated measurements were used to analyze data.

Result: A significant difference was observed between the four groups in terms of systolic pressure (P=0.001), diastolic pressure (P=0.008), pulse pressure (P=0.03) and respiratory rate (P=0.004). The pulse rate, respiration rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and after the intervention in two intervention groups had a significant reduction (P<0.001). Physiological reduction in the electrical stimulation group at the incision site was higher compared to electrical stimulation on acupuncture points, but this reduction was not statistically significant (P>0.05(.

Conclusion: Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation in the incision site had the highest reduction in physiologic parameters that can be offered as a part of nursing care for patients.