About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if acupuncture improves pain control after hemorrhoidectomy in patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids. It will also learn about the safety of using acupuncture in surgical patients. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does acupuncture lower the maximal pain intensity after hemorrhoidectomy? Does acupuncture reduce analgesics requirement, length of hospital stay and quality of recovery?
Researchers will compare fully active acupuncture to a sham treatment (a look-alike procedure with minimum acupuncture stimulation) to see if active acupuncture works to improve pain control.
Participants will:
Receive acupuncture treatment for 7 times over first 5 days after surgery. Visit the clinic once 2 weeks after surgery for checkups and tests. Keep a diary of their symptoms and the number of times they take pain-killers.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Symptomatic grade III or IV hemorrhoids undergoing conventional hemorrhoidectomy
Disqualifiers
Patients scheduled for stapled hemorrhoidopexy
Concomitant surgery other than conventional hemorrhoidectomy
Bleeding tendency, thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 100 x 10^9/L)
Immunocompromised status or use of chemotherapy
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Acupuncture
- Acupuncture
Treatment groups
Locations
Sponsors and collaborators
The University of Hong Kong
Lead sponsor
School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Collaborator