Schwannoma is a spindle cell stromal tumor originating from the Schwann cell sheath, whereas gastric schwannoma (GS) is a rare type of schwannoma originating from the gastrointestinal plexus. GS is easily confused with gastric stromal tumors, which are generally diagnosed based on postoperative pathology. Therefore, such surgeries are likely to damage the corresponding gastric innervation and cause adverse reactions2. Postoperative gastroparesis syndrome (PGS) is a group of diseases characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the presence of non-mechanical intestinal obstruction and neuromuscular dysfunction of the stomach. The primary clinical manifestations include bloating, nausea, vomiting, hiccups, and upper abdominal discomfort after eating. Although these symptoms are common after upper abdominal surgery, especially gastrectomy, lower abdominal surgery, such as gynecological and obstetric surgeries, can also trigger PGS3. The incidence of PGS is 0.5–4%4, which not only prolongs the hospitalization and increases the utilization of medical resources but also seriously affects the patient's quality of life.

Current clinical treatments for gastroparesis have limitations and are usually ineffective. In terms of drugs, first-line drugs such as gastric stimulants promote gastric emptying by acting on the excitatory transmitter "acetylcholine" in the gastrointestinal tract to improve coordination between the gastric sinus and duodenum5. However, these drugs tend to cross the blood-brain barrier to induce depression, drowsiness, dystonia, extrapyramidal effects, and other central nervous system side effects6. In addition, antiemetic drugs, such as phenothiazines and anticholinergics, are often used clinically for symptomatic treatment, which is necessary in severe cases. Nevertheless, it may lead to drug-drug interactions due to the concomitant metabolism of hepatic cytochrome P-450 enzymes, thus increasing the potential harm caused by the drugs7. Other treatments, such as gastric electrical stimulation and botulinum toxin injections, are effective in patients with gastroparesis. However, owing to the non-availability of a large body of high-quality clinical evidence to validate these findings, they are not widely used8,9. Currently, conservative treatment is preferred for this type of disease, and surgical treatment is only indicated for a small number of patients with postoperative gastroparesis whose clinical symptoms do not persist and for whom conventional treatment is ineffective. Therefore, a proven, safe, and effective treatment method is immediately required. Acupuncture, which has been used in China for thousands of years, is accepted by practitioners and patients because of its ease of operation, low cost, substantial efficacy, fewer complications, and is beneficial patients with various functional gastrointestinal disorders10.

Herein, we report a case of gastroparesis after GS surgery. The patient was treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) alternative therapy “electroacupuncture (EA),”and recovered after 2 weeks after discharge.