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Efficacy of TEAS on Postoperative Pain and Recovery in Patients Undergoing Pancreatectomy

Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Postoperative Pain and Recovery in Patients Undergoing Pancreatectomy: a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06541561
Enrollment
132
Registered
2024-08-07
Start date
2025-07-16
Completion date
2026-09-30
Last updated
2025-07-17

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

Conditions

Pancreatic Cancer

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to access the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on postoperative pain in patients undergoing pancreatectomy

Detailed description

Patients who meet the enrollment criteria will be randomized 1:1 to either the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) or the sham groups. In the TEAS group, the acupoints are bilateral neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (L14) and Waiguan (SJ5) acupoints. The treatment will consist of two phases: a 30-minute stimulation administered 30 minutes before anesthesia induction, and a 30-minute stimulation session once daily on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. The stimulation intensity will be adjusted in accordance with the maximal level tolerated by each patient. Patients in the sham group will receive electrode attachment but without stimulation.

Interventions

DEVICEtranscutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation

Patients in the TEAS group, the acupoints are bilateral neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (L14) and Waiguan (SJ5) acupoints. The treatment will consist of two phases: a 30-minute stimulation administered 30 minutes before anesthesia induction, and a 30-minute stimulation session once daily on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. The stimulation intensity will be adjusted in accordance with the maximal level tolerated by each patient. Patients in the sham group will receive electrode attachment but without stimulation.

Patients in the sham group will receive electrode attachment but without stimulation.

Sponsors

West China Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Blinding of participants will be maintained throughout the observation period. The sham group will receive electrode attachment but without stimulation, Throughout the study, for adequate blinding, an opaque tape will be applied to the patient's skin above the electrodes, and the patient's target acupoints will be wrapped in a blanket. All patients will be informed that they might or might not feel a tingling sensation around the acupoints when the TEAS device is working. The patients should not be unblinded until the statistical analysis of the study data is completed.

Intervention model description

Patients who meet the enrollment criteria will be randomized 1:1 to either the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) or the sham groups using a computer-generated random number table. After the randomization, use the opaque envelope, hide each group envelope into an opaque envelope, the envelope outside the code, will be sealed to the researcher, when the study, if the inclusion criteria, then open the corresponding numbered envelope, and intervene according to the group scheme in the envelope.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Age 18-80 years old; ASA physical status class I - III; Patients scheduled for pancreatectomy.

Exclusion criteria

Have a history of epilepsy; Rash or local infection over the acupoint stimulation skin area; Pregnancy or breastfeeding; Mental retardation, psychiatric, or neurological disease; Inability to comprehend the numeric rating scale (NRS); Implantation of a cardiac pacemaker, cardioverter, or defibrillator; Chronic opioid use; Metastases in other organs; Have a history of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupuncture Stimulation (TEAS) or electroacupuncture treatment in the past or recently;

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
highest NRS pain score for movement-evoked pain (defined as deep breathing or forced coughing three times) during 72 hours postoperatively.Up to 72 hours postoperativelyThe pain is evaluated using numerical rating scale(NRS). NRS scores range from 0 to 10 points, with 0 points representing no pain, and 10 points representing the strongest pain.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The cumulative morphine consumption at 24, 48, and 72 hours postoperatively.Up to 72 hours postoperativelyPostoperative opioid use is reported as morphine milligram equivalents, calculated using the Practical Pain Management calculator
The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting during the first 24,48,72 hours.Up to 72 hours postoperativelyWe considered it PONV if patients felt any nausea or had any vomiting.
The incidence of a composite of postoperative pulmonary complications during hospitalization.Up to 7 days postoperativelyDefined as positive if any component developed before discharge after surgery; These complications included respiratory infection, respiratory failure, pleural effusion, atelectasis, pneumothorax, bronchospasm, or aspiration pneumonitis loading dose, during hospitalization after surgery.
the highest NRS pain score at rest during 72 h postoperativelyUp to 72 hours postoperativelyThe pain is evaluated using numerical rating scale(NRS). NRS scores range from 0 to 10 points, with 0 points representing no pain, and 10 points representing the strongest pain.
The postoperative sleep quality scoreUp to 3 days postoperativelyPostoperative sleep quality was evaluated using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). The AIS consists of 8 items: waking up at night, sleep induction, final awakening, total sleep duration, sleep quality, well-being, functional ability, and daytime sleepiness. The AIS score ranges from 0 to 24 points, and a total score of 6 points or higher indicates a diagnosis of insomnia
The plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), beta-endorphin, serotonin (5-HT), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th postoperative daysUp to 5 days postoperatively]Peripheral blood C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), beta-endorphin, serotonin (5-HT), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are measured at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th postoperative
Quality of Recovery Scale Score at 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery.Up to 3 days postoperativelyThe global QoR-15 score ranges from 0 to 150 and is categorized as five quality of recovery dimensions, including physical comfort (5 items), emotional state (4 items), psychological support (2 items), physical independence (2 items), and pain (2 items). Each piece is graded using an 11-point Likert scale. The QoR is classified according to the QoR-15 score as excellent (QoR-15 \> 135), good (122 ≤ QoR-15 ≤ 135), moderate (90 ≤ QoR-15 ≤ 121) and poor (QoR-15 \< 90).

Contacts

Primary ContactChunling Jiang, PhD
jiangchunling@scu.edu.cn18980601096
Backup ContactLuo Fengming, PhD
jiangchunling@scu.edu.cn85423593

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026