Application Effects of Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture in Patients With Different Types of Pain Following Perianal Surgery

Application of Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture in Patients With Different Types of Pain Following Perianal Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study

This study is a prospective clinical observation designed to evaluate the analgesic effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture in patients with different types of pain after perianal surgery, as well as its applicability. A total of 60 eligible postoperative patients were enrolled, with inclusion criteria including age 18-75 years, postoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score ≥4, clear consciousness, and signed informed consent. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, history of needle fainting, skin lesions at the wrist or ankle, severe systemic diseases, inability to cooperate with follow-up, or participation in other clinical trials. Patients were divided into two groups according to the nature of pain: Group A (sphincter spasm pain, n=30) and Group B (acute incisional pain, n=30). All patients received routine postoperative care (including intravenous flurbiprofen infusion, traditional Chinese medicine soaking, and pain education), and wrist-ankle acupuncture was administered when pain intensity (Verbal Rating Scale, VRS) reached ≥4. The acupuncture method involved superficial subcutaneous insertion in zones 1 and 6 of both lower limbs using disposable sterile needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm). Needles were retained for 0.5-1 hour, once daily, with the treatment course adjusted based on symptom relief. If the VAS score remained ≥4 at 30 minutes post-treatment, adjunctive analgesic medication was administered as prescribed. Observation indicators included postoperative VRS scores, reduction in VAS scores at 5 and 30 minutes after wrist-ankle acupuncture treatment, frequency of analgesic medication use within the first 3 postoperative days, and the Clinical Postoperative Urinary Retention (POUR) score at 24 hours post-surgery. By comparing data between the two groups, the analgesic effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture was analyzed, and the influence of postoperative pain on the occurrence of urinary retention was explored.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: wrist-ankle acupuncture

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 58
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Chenxing C Jian; Phone Number: +8613959538950; Email: ptyyjcx@126.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Putian, China
    • Recruiting
    • Affiliated Hospital of Putian University
    • Contact: Chenxing C Jian; Phone Number: +8613959538950; Email: ptyyjcx@126.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged between 18 and 75 years;
• Patients who underwent perianal surgery;
• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score ≥4;
• Clear consciousness with the ability to articulate their sensations;
• Voluntary participation with signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant or lactating patients;
• Patients with a history of needle fainting or needle phobia;
• Patients with incomplete skin integrity at the wrist or ankle;
• Patients with comorbid systemic diseases, such as cardiac insufficiency or coagulation disorders;
• Patients unable to cooperate with follow-up;
• Patients currently participating in other clinical trials that may influence the outcomes of this study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Spastic pain group; The pain in this group of patients was characterized as sphincter spasm pain. Postoperatively, patients received routine care and were administered wrist-ankle acupuncture when their pain score (VRS) reached ≥4 points (performed at standardized zones 1 and 6 of both lower limbs, once daily, with treatment duration adjusted based on symptom response). If the pain score (VAS) remained ≥4 points 30 minutes after treatment, analgesic medication was additionally administered.	Device: wrist-ankle acupuncture; Patients received routine postoperative care, including intravenous infusion of flurbiprofen (50 mg, twice daily), herbal sitz baths, and pain management education. When a patient's Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) score reached ≥4 points, Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture therapy was administered. The procedure involved superficial subcutaneous insertion of disposable sterile needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm) at zones 1 and 6 of both lower limbs. The needle body was inserted subcutaneously, leaving approximately 1-2 mm exposed externally, with the aim of avoiding the induction of soreness, numbness, distension, or pain. Needles were retained for 0.5-1 hour, with treatment administered once daily. The treatment course was adjusted based on the degree of symptom relief. If the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score remained ≥4 points 30 minutes after initiating Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture treatment, analgesic medication was administered as prescribed.
Experimental: Acute incisional pain group; The pain in this group of patients was characterized as acute incisional pain. Postoperatively, patients received routine care and were administered wrist-ankle acupuncture when their pain score (VRS) reached ≥4 points. The procedure was performed at standardized zones 1 and 6 of both lower limbs, once daily, with the treatment duration adjusted according to symptom response. If the pain score (VAS) remained ≥4 points 30 minutes after treatment, analgesic medication was additionally administered.	Device: wrist-ankle acupuncture; Patients received routine postoperative care, including intravenous infusion of flurbiprofen (50 mg, twice daily), herbal sitz baths, and pain management education. When a patient's Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) score reached ≥4 points, Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture therapy was administered. The procedure involved superficial subcutaneous insertion of disposable sterile needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm) at zones 1 and 6 of both lower limbs. The needle body was inserted subcutaneously, leaving approximately 1-2 mm exposed externally, with the aim of avoiding the induction of soreness, numbness, distension, or pain. Needles were retained for 0.5-1 hour, with treatment administered once daily. The treatment course was adjusted based on the degree of symptom relief. If the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score remained ≥4 points 30 minutes after initiating Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture treatment, analgesic medication was administered as prescribed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postoperative pain intensity	Pain assessment was conducted using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). A 10-cm horizontal line was drawn on paper, with one end marked as "0" indicating "no pain" and the opposite end marked as "10" indicating "severe pain." The intermediate sections represented varying degrees of pain intensity. Patients were instructed to mark a point on the line based on their subjective perception of pain. Assessments were performed at 24 hours postoperatively, as well as at 5 minutes and 30 minutes after the administration of wrist-ankle acupuncture therapy. The reduction in Visual Analogue Scale（VAS） scores was recorded accordingly.	During the hospitalization period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Analgesic Medication Frequency	The frequency of use of postoperative analgesic medications, such as flurbiprofen, was recorded.	During the hospitalization period
Clinical Postoperative Urinary Retention (POUR) Score	The Clinical Postoperative Urinary Retention (POUR) scores of patients were observed and recorded at 24 hours after surgery.	7days postoperativelyacupuncture administration.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Affiliated Hospital of Putian University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 25, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 24, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 24, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2026
• First Posted (Estimated): January 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 13, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Analgesia; anal fistula; Pain Management; hemorrhoids; Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture; Perianal abscess
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Intestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Rectal Diseases; Perceptual Disorders; Digestive System Fistula; Fistula; Intestinal Fistula; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Agnosia; Hemorrhoids; Rectal Fistula
• Other Study ID Numbers: AHPutianU-015

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Based on a strict commitment to participant privacy protection, compliance with the terms of the ethical review protocol, and adherence to the sponsoring institution's policies, IPD from this study will not be shared at this time.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No