Auricular Acupressure in Prehabilitation

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Thoracic; Lung Surgery; Segmentectomy; Frailty; Wedge Resection; Pneumonectomy; Status; Prehabilitation; Lobectomy
• Interventions: Other: Auricular Acupressure

• Registration Number: NCT06516198
• Lead Sponsor: University of Chicago

Brief Summary

Complementary medicine is recognized for its ability to enhance appetite, increase energy, reduce anxiety, decrease pain, and improve sleep, among many other benefits. Acupuncture is among the most frequent types of complementary medicine practiced in the US, and Medicare currently includes back pain as a reimbursable indication for this therapy. Acupuncture-related therapies may enhance efforts at prehabilitation in candidates for major lung resection.

Detailed Description

The plan is to use a small number of points for auricular acupressure that are selected to improve overall health, both physical and mental. Auricular acupuncture for management of pain using 5 points, informally referred to as "battlefield acupuncture" has demonstrated significant improvement in acute and chronic pain management. Auricular acupressure using a similarly small number of points has demonstrated improvement in chemotherapy-related disturbed sleep, fatigue, and appetite, postpartum depression and fatigue, and chemotherapy related fatigue and depression. It appears that auricular acupressure may be suitable for enhancing prehabilitation interventions for preoperative patients.

Patients will be selected from among individuals being considered for major lung surgery (wedge resection, segmentectomy, lobectomy, bilobectomy, or pneumonectomy; open or minimally invasive) who are expected to pursue a period of prehabilitation of 2 or more weeks prior to surgery.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-06-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-07-17
• Study First Posted: 2024-07-23
• Study Start: 2024-07-30
• Status Verified: 2024-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-10-08
• Last Update Posted: 2024-10-11
• Primary Completion: 2026-06-20
• Study Completion: 2027-06-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

• Allergy to Vaccaria seeds
• Medical condition affecting either ear preventing use of auricular acupressure such as eczema, frostbite, sunburn

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Experimental Group	Auricular Acupressure	A random number card will be drawn in sequence from a box. Even numbered cards will assign the patient to the experimental group, odd numbered cards will assign the patient to the control group. * Intervention group seed points: 1. Shen Men (anxiety, depression, stress, pain) 2. Point 0 (homeostasis, energy, mood) 3. Endocrine (hormonal homeostasis) 4. Subcortex (insomnia, anxiety, pain, inflammation) 5. Autonomic (autonomic balance, pain) * Control group sham seed points: A. Inside edge, center of tragus B. Helix midway between apex and tubercle C. Helix 1 cm anterior to apex D. 5 mm anterior to Shen Men E. Covered, 5 mm anterior and superior to endocrine
Control Group	Auricular Acupressure	A random number card will be drawn in sequence from a box. Even numbered cards will assign the patient to the experimental group, odd numbered cards will assign the patient to the control group. * Intervention group seed points: 1. Shen Men (anxiety, depression, stress, pain) 2. Point 0 (homeostasis, energy, mood) 3. Endocrine (hormonal homeostasis) 4. Subcortex (insomnia, anxiety, pain, inflammation) 5. Autonomic (autonomic balance, pain) * Control group sham seed points: A. Inside edge, center of tragus B. Helix midway between apex and tubercle C. Helix 1 cm anterior to apex D. 5 mm anterior to Shen Men E. Covered, 5 mm anterior and superior to endocrine For the sham intervention (Sham Type II, same intervention with seeding and intermittent pressing) the seeds are placed at nonacupressure points for the control group.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of patients enrolled	2 weeks	The patient will complete a form after each seed pressing confirming the pressing and the time.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Ease of participation in the study.	End of Study (Week 4)	The patient will complete a form after each seed pressing confirming the pressing and the time.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Chicago; 🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois, United States