Acupuncture for Post-Operative Pain Control for Patients Undergoing Gynecological Surgery

June 18, 2019 updated by: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Role of Acupuncture in Post-Operative Pain Management in Gynecological Patients

This study investigates the role of acupuncture in controlling post-operative pain in patients who have undergone gynecological surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The goal of the study is to investigate acupuncture at the time of gynecological surgery as a way to decrease post-operative pain which would decrease narcotic intake and hospitalization time. To do this, the researchers will recruit non-pregnant patients over the age of 18 who are undergoing laparoscopic surgery for a benign gynecological indication. These patients will be randomized using a computer generated randomization system to receive either acupuncture or sham acupuncture pre-operatively after the induction of anesthesia. The acupuncture points used will be points proven in the literature to be associated with decreasing general pain, pelvic pain and nausea and vomiting. The needles will be placed by a anesthesiologist trained in acupuncture and they will be left in place for 15 minutes while the patient is prepped for the surgery. The sham points will be on the hands and feet and chosen at random by the gynecologic surgeon who is not trained in acupuncture. For both groups, the acupuncture needles will be removed before the first incision of the surgery. All patients will be blinded to their group allocation.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
110

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10029
        • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • female patients
  • over the age of 18
  • scheduled for laparoscopic gynecological procedures for benign conditions of the uterus, fallopian tubes and/or adnexa

Exclusion Criteria:

  • male patients
  • pregnancy
  • suspected or known malignant disease
  • immunocompromised
  • known or persistent abuse of medications, drugs or alcohol
  • chronic pain for greater than 3 months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Acupuncture
Receives acupuncture during gynecological surgery at 5 known points for pain control. Needles will be placed prior to the start of surgery by an anesthesiologist trained in acupuncture after induction of anesthesia and while the patient is prepped for surgery. They will be in place for 15 minutes.
Device: Acupuncture needles
Acupuncture needles (29 and 30 gauge) used to perform the acupuncture
Sham Comparator: Sham acupuncture
Receives acupuncture during gynecological surgery at sham points not associated with pain control. Needles will be placed by the gynecologic surgeon who is not trained in acupuncture after induction of anesthesia and prior to the start of the surgery. The needles will be removed immediately after placement.
Device: Acupuncture needles
Acupuncture needles (29 and 30 gauge) used to perform the acupuncture

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Morphine Equivalent Usage While in the Hospital
Time Frame: Intra-operative and 24 hours post-operatively
Effectiveness of intra-operative acupuncture in post-operative pain control as measured by narcotic use in the 24 hours post-operatively. Narcotic use monitored either through hospital records if patient is still admitted to the hospital or over the phone if the patient is discharged home prior to 24 hours post-operative.
Intra-operative and 24 hours post-operatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of Pain Medication Tablets Used at Home Post-Operatively
Time Frame: 7 days post-operatively
Patients kept a log of pain medication use once they were discharged from the hospital for first 7 days post operatively.
7 days post-operatively
Number of Patients Readmitted to the Hospital
Time Frame: 2 weeks post-operatively
Effectiveness of intra-operative acupuncture in post-operative pain control as measured by re-admission to the hospital for pain management.
2 weeks post-operatively
Pain Score
Time Frame: up to 4 hours post operatively
Pain Score. Patients asked to rate pain score total from 0-10 with higher score indicating more pain
up to 4 hours post operatively
Pain Score at Home Post-Operatively
Time Frame: up to 7 days post operatively
Pain Score from 0-10 with higher score indicating more pain
up to 7 days post operatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Charles Ascher-Walsh, MD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 6, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 5, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 5, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 29, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 1, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 4, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 25, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 18, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • GCO 16-1120

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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