Clinical trial · Interventional
Electroacupuncture (EA) Promotes Gastrointestinal Functional Recovery After Radical Colorectal Cancer Surgery
Electroacupuncture Promotes Gastrointestinal Functional Recovery After Radical Colorectal Cancer Surgery: a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
The goal of this clinical trial is to verify the efficacy of electroacupuncture in accelerating the recovery of gastrointestinal function after colorectal cancer surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Whether electroacupuncture can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients after colorectal cancer surgery. * Whether electroacupuncture intervention is safe for postoperative colorectal cancer patients. Participants will be randomized into 3 groups: The conventional control group will receive postoperative rehydration and nutritional support, correction of acid-base imbalance and electrolyte disturbance, anti-infection, hemostasis and other symptomatic treatments. In the electroacupuncture group, acupuncture will be performed within 6 hours after surgery on the basis of the conventional control group. Acupoint: bilateral Hegu (LI4), Zhigou (SJ6), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37). Both after obtaining Qi, and unilaterally connected to the electroacupuncture instrument for electrical stimulation, the current frequency is continuous wave 5 Hz, the intensity of stimulation was as the patient tolerated, each time lasting 30 min. Acupuncture stimulation was given every 12 h. The course of treatment was terminated postoperatively until the fourth postoperative day (d0-d4) or until the patient showed the first postoperative anal exhaust or continued until the fourth day. The sham acupuncture group will based on the conventional control group, using a blunt-tipped needle tip that do not pierce the adhesive pad.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorectal Cancer | Malignant Colorectal Neoplasm | CURATED_BROADER | 0.80 |
| Gastrointestinal Dysfunction | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electroacupuncture group | Device | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Sham EA group | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (3)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Electroacupuncture group
- description
- The acupuncture will be performed within 6 hours after surgery Acupoint: bilateral Hegu (LI4), Zhigou (SJ6), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), All acupoints will be taken by tonifying method after obtaining qi, and unilaterally connected to an electroacupuncture instrument for electrical stimulation with a continuous wave frequency of 5 Hz and a stimulation intensity as tolerated by the patient for 30 min each time. Acupuncture stimulation was given every 12 h. The duration of treatment was from postoperative to the fourth postoperative day (d0-d4) or until the patient's first postoperative anal discharge or until the fourth day.
- interventionNames
- Device: Electroacupuncture group
- type
- SHAM_COMPARATOR
- label
- Sham EA group
- description
- In order to achieve maximum patient blindness, both groups will use adhesive pads, and the sham acupuncture needle will have the same appearance as the traditional needle, with a blunt tip (Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory, specification 0.25×40mm), lifting and inserting and twisting, but not piercing the adhesive pad. The output wire of the special sham electroacupuncture apparatus is cut in the middle, and the appearance is as usual; that is, the electroacupuncture apparatus shows an on state, but is not actually energized; the electroacupuncture points, acupuncture time points, frequency, retention time, and duration of treatment are the same as the intervention group, and the patients are informed that it is an effective light current input and may not feel stimulation, but the current is output. All study patients will be treated independently and separately to ensure that patients will not come into contact with each other.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
- Maximum age
- 79 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Surgical patients who meet the diagnostic criteria for colorectal cancer and require elective radical colorectal cancer surgery; 2. 18 years old ≤ age ≤ 79 years old, with no restriction on gender; 3. Understand, agree to participate in this study and sign the informed consent form; 4. American society of Aneshesiologists (ASA) classification I to III. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients with psychiatric disorders; 2. Patients who have participated or are participating in other clinical studies in the 3 months prior to enrollment; 3. Patients with severe malnutrition (NRS2002 score ≥ 3); 4. Patients with total colectomy; 5. Patients undergoing ileal diversion for rectal cancer; 6. Patients with tumor infiltration requiring resection of other organs; 7. Prophylactic fistulae. Anyone who meets any of the above criteria will be excluded from the study.
References
Publications (1)
- DERIVEDSun L, Wei X, Feng T, Gu Q, Li J, Wang K, Zhou J. Electroacupuncture promotes gastrointestinal functional recovery after radical colorectal cancer surgery: a protocol of multicenter randomized controlled trial (CORRECT trial). Int J Colorectal Dis. 2024 Dec 9;39(1):198. doi: 10.1007/s00384-024-04768-8. PMID 39652211