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Auricular Acupuncture in Postoperative Pain

NCT01030029 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 40

Last updated 2015-04-08

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The effect of acupuncture for postoperative pain control remains controversial. We therefore studied the effects of electrical auricular acupuncture (AA) on postoperative opioid consumption in a randomized, patient-blinded clinical trial.

40 female patients undergoing laparoscopy were included. Anaesthetized patients were randomly assigned to receive AA (shen men, thalamus and one segmental organ-specific point) or electrodes and electrical stimulation for 72 hours. Postoperatively patients received 1 g paracetamol every 6 hours and additional piritramide on demand. A blinded observer obtained the doses of piritramide and the visual analogue pain scores (VAS) at 0, 2, 24, 48, and 72 hours.

It was the aim of our study to find out, whether auricular acupuncture reduces postoperative pain.

Conditions

  • Acupuncture

Interventions

DEVICE

electrical auricular acupuncture

Patients in the acupuncture group received titan disposable needles (27-gauge, 3 mm length; Biegler GmbH, Mauerbach, Austria), which were inserted in the dominant ear at the following acupuncture points: shen men, thalamus and one segmental organ-specific point \[2\]. Acupuncture points were identified by measuring skin resistance, using an electrical conductance meter (multipoint selection pen™, Biegler GmbH, Mauerbach, Austria). The needles were connected to the P-Stim™ device and received continuous low frequency electro acupuncture using P-Stim™ (constant current: 1 Hz biphasic, 2 mA) for 72 hours postoperatively. Acupuncture was performed by a specialist with 15 years experience in this technique.

DEVICE

P-Stim™ devices were applied without electrical stimulation and acupuncture.

Patients in the control group received electrodes without needles and the P-Stim™ devices were applied without electrical stimulation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Department of Anesthesiology, General Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Control

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • Medical University of Vienna

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Andrea Holzer, MD · Medical University Vienna, Department of Anesthesiology and General Intensive Care Medicine

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
60 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2006-01-31
Primary Completion
2007-12-31
Completion
2008-02-29

Countries

  • Austria

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01030029 on ClinicalTrials.gov