A randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of acupuncture strategies on pain relief and gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery of the lower Gastrointestinal tract

A randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of acupuncture strategies on pain relief and gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery of the lower Gastrointestinal tract - RAPRAS

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

DRKS

Registry ID

DRKS00029265

Enrollment

120

Registered

2022-07-15

Start date

2023-05-17

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-04-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Z98.8

Interventions

Group 1: verum acupuncture: First, the patient is examined by an experienced TCM physician. After determining the G-syndrome, the physician marks the corresponding therapeutic acupuncture points in on

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 99 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: - Patients who undergo primary bariatric surgery for obesity - Locus dolendi with maximum tenderness at points G1 to G6, VAS = 3 (rest pain or when moving) - Minimum age of 18 years - Sufficient communication skills

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: - Previous acupuncture experience for the same indication - Missing body parts for acupuncture (e.g. extremities) or infection or malignant tumor at the site of needle placement - Needle phobia - Relevant mental disorders (e.g. borderline patients with a risk of self-harm) - Serious coagulation disorders (e.g.: clinically relevant hemophilia)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Postoperative pain before and after acupuncture evaluated via visual analogue scale	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
- Use of morphine equivalents in the first 72 hours after acupuncture - Pain thresholds using pressure algometry before and after acupuncture treatment (PCE-PTR 200N) - Temperature of the abdominal skin using an infrared thermometer before and after the acupuncture treatment - Timing of first bowel movement - Duration of hospital stay - Tidal volume - Quality of recovery (QoR-40) - The length of time spent out of bed - 6-minute walk test - Amount of oral liquid consumption on postoperative day 1 (ml) - 30 days postoperative clinical events - Overall 30 days postoperative morbidity	—

Measure

Time frame

- Use of morphine equivalents in the first 72 hours after acupuncture - Pain thresholds using pressure algometry before and after acupuncture treatment (PCE-PTR 200N) - Temperature of the abdominal skin using an infrared thermometer before and after the acupuncture treatment - Timing of first bowel movement - Duration of hospital stay - Tidal volume - Quality of recovery (QoR-40) - The length of time spent out of bed - 6-minute walk test - Amount of oral liquid consumption on postoperative day 1 (ml) - 30 days postoperative clinical events - Overall 30 days postoperative morbidity

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactErfan Ghanad

Universitätsmedizin MannheimChirurgische Klinik

erfan.ghanad@umm.de0621 3830

Outcome results

None listed

Source: DRKS (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026