Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation for Postoperative Urinary Retention After Radical Surgery for Cervical Cancer

February 5, 2026 updated by: Lu Chao

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Postoperative Urinary Retention After Radical Surgery for Cervical Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This is a prospective, blinded, single-center, randomized controlled trial. We will include 76 patients with postoperative urinary retention (POUR) after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer who have a clear diagnosis and meet the screening criteria as the research object. They will be randomly divided into the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation（TEAS）group and the sham TEAS group according to a 1:1 ratio. Each group consists of 38 patients, and all patients will be required to sign a written informed consent form. The TEAS group will be treated with TEAS based on conventional treatment, and the sham TEAS group will be treated with shamTEAS based on conventional treatment. The main outcomes will be the changes in post-void residual (PVR) volume; secondary indicators will include the response rate of participants with successful urinary catheter removal after intervention, assessment of urinary tract infection (UTI), and patient quality of life assessment according to the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale. The participants will also be evaluated with expectations, blind evaluation, compliance evaluation, and safety evaluation to preliminarily evaluate the effect of TEAS for postoperative urinary retention after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

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 (Estimated)

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.
76

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Zhejiang
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310022
        • Recruiting
        • Zhejiang Cancer Hospital
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • (1) Age range of 18-70 years, expected survival period ≥ 6 months; (2) Meets diagnostic criteria, with an indwelling catheter duration of more than 14 days but less than 1 year; (3) No history of urinary system diseases before surgery; (4) Clear consciousness, unobstructed communication, daily living ability, patients or family members can learn TEAS operation; (5) No serious systemic diseases such as heart, liver, brain, kidney, etc; (6) Karnofsky functional status score (KPS) ≥ 70 points; (7) Voluntarily participate and sign a written informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • (1) Obstructive urinary retention, such as urethral stricture or stones; (2) combined with other serious systemic diseases, advanced cachexia; (3) Patients with pacemaker implantation or metal implantation in the body; (4) The treatment site has skin lesions or is not suitable for TEAS treatment in other populations; (5) Physical or mental disorders with cognitive impairment; (6) Other clinical trial participants who are currently involved in affecting the results of this study; (7) Those who do not agree to participate in clinical trials; (8) The evaluator has determined that the participant is not suitable to participate in this study.

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: Triple

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.
Experimental: The TEAS Group
Participants will receive TEAS treatment once a day for two consecutive weeks. TEAS stimulation: A set of TEAS patch stimulation will be applied to BL32 and BL34 points on both sides of the spine respectively, with an intensity of approximately 30 ± 5mA, based on patient tolerance. The frequency will be 2/10Hz.
Other: transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
Participants will receive TEAS treatment once a day for two consecutive weeks. TEAS stimulation: A set of TEAS patch stimulation will be applied to BL32 and BL34 points on both sides of the spine respectively, with an intensity of approximately 30 ± 5mA, based on patient tolerance. The frequency will be 2/10Hz.
Other Names:
  • TEAS
Placebo Comparator: The Sham TEAS Group
Participants will receive sham TEAS treatment once a day for two consecutive weeks. The operation of the sham TEA group will be consistent with that of the TEAS group, with a current intensity set to 30mA. However, the instrument circuit of the fake TEAS group cannot output current normally, and participants can only feel patches stimulating at the BL32 and BL34 acupoints.
Other: Sham transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation
Participants will receive sham TEAS treatment once a day for two consecutive weeks. The operation of the sham TEAS group will be consistent with that of the TEAS group, with a current intensity set at 30 mA. However, the instrument circuit of the fake TEAS group cannot output current normally, and participants can only feel patches stimulating at the BL32 and BL34 acupoints.
Other Names:
  • Sham TEAS

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
The change in post-void residual (PVR) volume of the bladder
Time Frame: week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）
It will use a direct measurement method to detect residual urine volume in the bladder.
week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）

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
The response rate of participants who will successfully remove the urinary catheter
Time Frame: week 2 （after intervention）
The participants in each group who will remove their urinary catheters after intervention (week 2), in proportion to the total number of patients in each group, multiplied by 100%. It can also be understood as the initial cure rate of POUR.
week 2 （after intervention）
The proportion of patients who have a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Time Frame: Week 0 (baseline), week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）
Determine whether the patient has a urinary tract infection based on their urine routine test or urine culture test results.
Week 0 (baseline), week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）
The evaluation of the quality of life
Time Frame: week 0 (baseline), week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）
Assessing patients' quality of life using the EQRTC QLQ-C30 scale.
week 0 (baseline), week 2 (after intervention), and week 4 （follow-up）
Safety Assessment
Time Frame: week 2 （after intervention）, and week 4 (follow-up)
Evaluate based on the Adverse Event Scale.
week 2 （after intervention）, and week 4 (follow-up)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Participant Expectation Value Evaluation
Time Frame: week 0 (baseline)
Evaluate based on the participant's expected value scale
week 0 (baseline)
Blinding evaluation
Time Frame: week 2（after intervention）
Evaluate according to the established blind assessment questionnaire
week 2（after intervention）
Participant compliance assessment
Time Frame: week 2 （after intervention）and week 4（follow-up）
Evaluate based on the participant compliance assessment scale
week 2 （after intervention）and week 4（follow-up）

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.
Lu Chao

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.
November 18, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
November 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
November 30, 2028

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).
November 14, 2025

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.
November 14, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

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.
November 19, 2025

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.
February 6, 2026

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.
February 5, 2026

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.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • IRB-2025-1262

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

No

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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