Acupuncture has been shown in several meta-analyses and clinical studies, in different surgical settings and chronic back pain, to be a safe adjuvant option for postoperative pain treatment. In this study, the investigator hypothesize that acupuncture can decrease postoperative pain intensity and amount of given analgesics, and accelerate recovery of bowel motility, in patients after open radical prostatectomy. The investigator will also investigate whether or not acupuncture with needle skin penetration is more efficacious than acupressure.
This study will be a randomized, controlled and partially blinded study with three arms: 1) press tack needle acupuncture (ACU) and routine postoperative analgesic care, 2) press tack placebo acupressure (SHAM) and routine postoperative analgesic care, and 3) only routine postoperative analgesic care (CONTROL).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
126
On the day before surgery, patients randomized to the intervention groups will receive routine postoperative analgesic care with application of 6 bilateral press tack needles (diameter of 0.15mm and length of 0.6mm for P-6 and Shenmen, diameter of 0.20mm and length of 1.2mm for SP-6, Seirin New Pyonex, Seirin Corp., Shizuoka City, Japan).
On the day before surgery, patients randomized to the intervention groups will receive routine postoperative analgesic care with application of 6 bilateral press tack placebos (knob without needle, diameter of 0.15mm and length of 0.6mm for P-6 and Shenmen, diameter of 0.20mm and length of 1.2mm for SP-6, Seirin New Pyonex, Seirin Corp., Shizuoka City, Japan).
Martini-Klinik am UKE GmbH
Hamburg, Germany
Postoperative pain intensity measured by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11)
The primary outcome is to check the effects of permanent needle acupuncture at 6 acupuncture points for changing postoperative pain intensity as measured by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11), calculated as area under the curve (AUC).
Time frame: postoperative day three
Cumulative use (sum in mg) of routine postoperative analgesics
Cumulative use (sum in mg) of routine postoperative analgesics
Time frame: postoperative day three
Time to first defecation following surgery
Time to first defecation following surgery
Time frame: postoperative day three
EQ-5D-5L for quality of life
fill out a questionnaire: According to the website httpp://euroqol.org/eq-5d-instruments/eq-5d-5l-about/ under the tab "User guide 5L", page 5 in a blue box, it states that EQ-5D-5L is not an abbreviation and should be used and quoted as is. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire measures quality of life based on 5 different levels (no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems and extreme problems) to each of the following dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression.
Time frame: 7 days after catheter removal
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