Acupuncture for Post-hemorrhoidectomy Pain Control

Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-90
SponsorThe University of Hong Kong

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

100 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Locations

This trial has no locations

Sponsors and collaborators

The University of Hong Kong

Lead sponsor

School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Collaborator