Functional constipation is a frequent complaint in clinical practice

and it causes intractable symptoms not responsive to medical treatment. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) is a technique delivering specific frequency pulse current to constipation patients

via

acupuncture or transdermal patches. Long-term taking of high dose of laxatives will impair the enteric nervous system. While

colectomy may cause some complications post-operatively. The application of TES will avoid those impairments and complications in the treatment of functional constipation

and has prospect of extensive application. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders

but the effect of EA or TES on functional constipation remains unclear. So more researches are needed to determine the therapeutic effect and involved mechanisms.