Electroacupuncture for post-thoracotomy pain: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical procedures
• Pain management

Background:

• Thoracotomy, a chest surgery for trauma or cancer, frequently causes severe postoperative pain.
• Electroacupuncture is recognized for its pain-relieving properties in various clinical settings.
• Post-thoracotomy pain management remains a significant clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze existing randomized controlled trials.
• To evaluate the analgesic efficacy of electroacupuncture in patients with post-thoracotomy pain.
• To provide high-quality evidence for clinical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search across 10 major databases without language restrictions.
• Inclusion of only randomized controlled trials meeting predefined eligibility criteria.
• Quality assessment using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and meta-analysis with RevMan 5.3 software.

Main Results:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant randomized controlled trials will be conducted.
• Pain scores will serve as the primary outcome measure for meta-analysis.
• Quantitative and qualitative data synthesis will assess electroacupuncture's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The study aims to determine if electroacupuncture is a viable analgesic treatment for post-thoracotomy pain.
• Findings will inform clinical practice regarding non-pharmacological pain management strategies.
• Evidence generated will support the use of electroacupuncture for post-surgical pain.