Electroacupuncture for postoperative pain after nasal endoscopic surgery: study protocol for a pilot randomized...

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Surgical Pain Management
• Clinical Trial Design

Background:

• Postoperative pain is a significant issue following nasal endoscopic surgery, impacting sleep and recovery.
• Acupuncture is recognized for pain relief, but electroacupuncture's role in this specific surgical context lacks rigorous study.
• This research addresses the gap in understanding electroacupuncture for pain management after nasal endoscopic surgery for sinusitis due to nasal polyps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in managing postoperative pain after nasal endoscopic surgery.
• To explore the feasibility of using electroacupuncture for pain management in this patient population.
• To inform the design of a larger, full-scale randomized controlled trial.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, sham-controlled, patient- and assessor-blind pilot trial involving 30 participants.
• Participants were allocated 1:1 to electroacupuncture or a non-invasive sham control group.
• Treatment was administered pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively, and daily for three days, with pain assessed using the numerical rating scale (area under the curve).

Main Results:

• The primary outcome is the pain numerical rating scale analyzed by area under the curve.
• Secondary outcomes include heart rate, blood pressure, sleep quality (actigraphy), quality of recovery, and the SF-36 health survey.
• An intention-to-treat analysis will be employed.

Conclusions:

• This pilot trial aims to assess the feasibility of electroacupuncture for postoperative pain management.
• Findings will provide crucial data for designing a subsequent, larger-scale clinical trial.
• The study contributes to understanding novel approaches for enhancing recovery after nasal endoscopic surgery.