Acupuncture in Postoperative Pain Control for Minimal Invasive Thoracoscopic Surgery Patients

Summary

Minimal invasive thoracoscopic surgery has been used widely for common thoracic diseases in recent years. Patients who received thoracoscopic surgery recovered much quickly and returned to their daily life sooner because of small operation wound and less invasion. However, operative pain was still an important factor, which might contribute to several post-operative complications.

In daily practice, patients received oral/intravenous form non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid agents, or patient-controlled analgesia for post operative pain control. However, some side effects were observed occasionally.

The role of acupuncture in post-operative pain control was frequently discussed in recent research. The main mechanisms of acupuncture in pain control were (1) to stimulate the release of endogenous opioid and (2) to block TRPV1 receptor.

The randomized controlled trial arranged by Gary Deng and his colleagues in 2008, was the first clinical trial investigated the role of acupuncture in post-operative pain control for traditional thoracotomy patients. However, there was no further research about the role of acupuncture applied to minimal invasive thoracoscopic surgery.

Thus, the aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the role of acupuncture in post-operative pain control for minimal invasive thoracoscopic surgery patients. In order to deliver a safe and effective way in pain control, and to save medical cost and promote quality of patient care.

Conditions

• Acupuncture
• Pain Control
• Randomized Controlled Trial
• Thoracic Surgery

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Sham Acupuncture

Procedure: Sham Acupuncture(ipisilateral side, 0.3cun, No needle sensation (de qi) was elicited) Sham acupuncture will be applied by inserting acupuncture needle into acupoints(1cm away from the true acupoint):upper limb: Waiguan TE5; lower limb: Zusanli ST36. All procedures were carried out to a depth of 0.5 cm with disposable needles measuring 0.16 mm in diameter (40-gauge) and 12.7 mm in length (Yu Kuang, Taipei, Taiwan). Acupuncture treatment will consist of one session per day and consecutive three days after thoracoscopic surgery.

PROCEDURE

Acupuncture

Procedure: Acupuncture(ipisilateral side, the needling depth decided by whether patients feel De qi, neutral supplementation and draining) Acupuncture will be applied by inserting acupuncture needle into acupoints: Zhigou TE6, Shousanli LI10, Hegu LI4, Neiguan PC6, Houxi SI3; lower limb: Biguan ST31, Fushe SP13, Zulinqi GB41; axillary area(Remove Needles right away after De qi): Yuanye GB22, Jiquan HT1; local area(Remove Needles right away after De qi): ashi point close to the pain area. The other needles will be left for 20 minutes and then removed. All procedures were carried out with disposable needles measuring 0.25 mm in diameter (32-gauge) and 44 mm in length (Yu Kuang, Taipei, Taiwan). Acupuncture treatment will consist of one session per day and consecutive three days after thoracoscopic surgery.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• China Medical University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ting Yu Lu, MD · Division of thoracic surgery, China medical university hospital, Taiwan

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2016-12-31

Primary Completion

2017-06-30

Completion

2017-10-31

Countries

• Taiwan

Study Locations