the Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction After Urological Laparoscopic Surgery
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, Sham transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction (POGD). Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- China
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
The Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction After Urological Laparoscopic Surgery
Overview
The purpose of this clinical trial is to understand the effect of percutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation on postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction. It will also investigate the safety of percutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation. The main questions that this trial aims to answer are: Can percutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation alleviate postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction? Through which mechanisms do they function? Participants will: Preoperatively, patients were either given or not given percutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation. Record their symptoms and biological indicators within 5 days after the operation.
Interventions
- Device Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
Before the operation, the patient received transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Ciliao (BL 32) acupoints with sterilized electrode patches. The stimulation intensity and current intensity that gave the patient an effective pricking sensation ("deqi") were maintained for 30 minutes. The stimulation method in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) was consistent with that before the operation. - Device Sham transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation
Before the operation, disinfection patches with electrodes were applied to Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Ciliao (BL 32) acupointst, but no electrical stimulation was conducted. The stimulation method in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) was the same as that before the operation.
Primary outcome measures
- I-FEED(Intake, Feeling nauseated, Emesis, physical Exam, and Duration of symptoms)Score [Time frame: Three days after the operation]
Secondary outcome measures (10)
- The time of the first postoperative defecation and flatus expulsion [Time frame: postoperative 3 days]
- The concentrations of motilin (MTL) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Visual analogue scale (VAS) Score [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Quality-of-recovery 15 (Qor-15) Score [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- miR-10b-5p [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Interleukin-10 (IL-10) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Acetylcholine (Ach) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
- Norepinephrine (NE) [Time frame: postoperative 5 days]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age > 18 years
- BMI < 28 kg/m2
- ASA classification is I-III grade
- Laparoscopic urological procedures under general anesthesia, including but not limited to laparoscopic nephrectomy and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer
- Normal comprehension ability, and the patient or his/her family members can cooperate in filling out the questionnaire
- Voluntary to sign the informed consent form
Exclusion criteria
- Comprehensive assessment of severe cardiovascular, pulmonary and cerebrovascular diseases (such as severe coronary heart disease, valve diseases, respiratory failure, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, etc.)
- Preoperative use of analgesic and gastrointestinal motility drugs
- TEAS contraindications (having electronic devices in the body, skin damage or infection at the stimulation site)
- Previous history of TEAS or electro-acupuncture treatment
- Previous history of gastrointestinal surgery, long-term gastrointestinal motility disorders and severe intestinal diseases
- Pregnancy
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
China · 1 center
- The First affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University — Xiamen
Publications
- Wang L, Qiu G, Li Y, Chen L, Yang B. Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction following laparoscopic urological surgery: a protocol for a randomised, controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2026 Jul 29;16(7):e113118. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-113118. PMID 42526917
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07133620 · FirstAHXiamenU-YB-4