Randomized controlled trial of a special acupuncture technique for pain after thoracotomy

We sought to determine whether an acupuncture technique specially developed for a surgical oncology population (intervention) reduces pain or analgesic use after thoracotomy compared with a sham acupuncture technique (control).

One hundred sixty-two patients with cancer undergoing thoracotomy were randomized to group A (preoperative implantation of small intradermal needles that were retained for 4 weeks) or group B (preoperative placement of sham needles at the same schedule). The numeric rating scale of pain and total opioid use was evaluated during the in-patient stay, and the Brief Pain Inventory and Medication Quantification Scale were evaluated after discharge up to 3 months after the operation.

The principal analysis, a comparison of Brief Pain Inventory pain intensity scores at the 30-day follow-up, showed no significant difference between the intervention and control groups. Pain scores were marginally higher in the intervention group (0.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.74 to -0.64; P = .9). There were also no statistically significant differences between groups for secondary end points, including chronic pain assessments at 60 and 90 days, in-patient pain, and medication use in the hospital and after discharge.

A special acupuncture technique, as provided in this study, did not reduce pain or use of pain medication after thoracotomy more than a sham technique.