Development of an Expert Consensus on Electroacupuncture for Trigeminal Neuralgia Using the Delphi Method: A Study...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Integrative Medicine
• Clinical Research Methodology

Background:

• Electroacupuncture (EA) is utilized for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) management.
• Current clinical practices for EA in TN lack standardized guidelines, leading to wide variations.
• A need exists for expert consensus to guide consistent application of EA for TN.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop expert consensus on the use of electroacupuncture for trigeminal neuralgia.
• To address the heterogeneity in current EA treatment approaches for TN.
• To establish a standardized framework for clinical and research parameters in EA for TN.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process involving a multidisciplinary panel of acupuncture and neurology clinicians.
• Survey items developed from a systematic review will be rated by experts for relevance and agreement.
• Consensus determination will follow predefined criteria, adhering to the ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document (ACCORD) guideline.

Main Results:

• This section is not applicable as the abstract describes a study protocol.
• The study protocol outlines the methodology for achieving expert consensus.
• No results are available as the study is in the protocol phase.

Conclusions:

• This study protocol outlines a modified Delphi process to achieve expert consensus on electroacupuncture for trigeminal neuralgia.
• The findings are expected to provide structured expert guidance to improve consistency in clinical practice and research.
• The established consensus will aim to standardize EA application for TN.