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Enrolling by Invitation

NCT Number: NCT07287657

Exploring the Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Therapy on Patients After Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

Thoracic surgery is known to be one of the most painful types of surgery. If acute postoperative pain is not properly managed, there is a high risk that it may develop into clinically significant chronic pain within six months after surgery, which can seriously affect quality of life. According to research on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), using multimodal pain management strategies can significantly reduce postoperative pain and decrease reliance on pain medications. This study aims to investigate whether combining transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation therapy with conventional pain management can further enhance pain relief and improve recovery outcomes.

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Key information

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative Acute Pain Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Mental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Postoperative Complications Signs and Symptoms

Age range

15 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital

Taipei, Hualien, 97002, Taiwan

About this study

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of three postoperative analgesic strategies in patients undergoing lesion resection via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Under standard postoperative care protocols, patients will be randomized into three groups: (1) conventional pharmacologic analgesia alone, (2) conventional analgesia combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and (3) conventional analgesia combined with both transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS). The primary outcomes include the assessment of acute postoperative pain intensity, blood inflammatory biomarkers, health-related quality of life, and the incidence of postoperative complications. This investigation seeks to determine whether adjunctive use of neuromodulatory techniques such as TENS and TEAS can enhance analgesic efficacy and improve postoperative recovery profiles.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • People who are about to undergo thoracic surgery

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with epilepsy,
  • Pacemaker installed
  • Severe infections status

Treatment and study plan

Standard Analgesia

Drug

Postoperative analgesic medications administered according to standard clinical practice and hospital guidelines

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Device

Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation therapy applied to specific areas to reduce postoperative pain

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS)

Device

Electrical stimulation applied to specific acupuncture points through the skin to enhance analgesic efficacy and modulate autonomic function.

Primary outcomes

  1. Postoperative Pain Intensity Assessed Using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: Within 48 hours after surgery

    Pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 indicates "worst imaginable pain."

Secondary outcomes

  1. Blood Inflammatory Markers

    Time frame: Within 48 hours after surgery

    Blood inflammatory markers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), will be calculated using complete blood count (CBC) parameters. NLR increases are commonly interpreted as indicators of elevated systemic inflammation, whereas decreases in LMR may reflect enhanced inflammatory activity or physiological stress following surgery. These ratios will be assessed at multiple perioperative time points to evaluate changes in inflammatory response. The relationship between postoperative pain levels, clinical recovery, and changes in NLR and LMR will be analyzed to determine whether inflammatory activation is associated with greater postoperative pain or adverse outcomes. Units of measure are expressed as ratios (NLR, LMR).

  2. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

    Time frame: At baseline (preoperative), and after surgery 6 and 48 hours later

    The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) will be used to evaluate participants' psychological status during the perioperative period. The scale consists of 14 items, with 7 items assessing anxiety (HADS-A) and 7 items assessing depression (HADS-D). Each item is scored from 0 to 3, yielding subscale scores ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate greater levels of anxiety or depression. Changes in HADS-A and HADS-D scores will be analyzed to determine postoperative psychological responses and the potential impact of different analgesic interventions.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Exploring the Impact of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Therapy on Postoperative Pain, Quality of Life, and Blood Inflammatory Markers in Lung Cancer Patients After Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Dec 17, 2025
Registry last updated
Dec 17, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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