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A Phase II, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for Reduction of Postcolectomy Ileus

  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Postoperative ileus (POI) prolongs hospital stay and increases risk of postoperative complications. We conducted a randomized, sham-controlled trial to evaluate whether acupuncture reduces POI more effectively than sham acupuncture.

Methods

Colon cancer patients undergoing elective colectomy were randomized to receive 30 min of true or sham acupuncture twice daily during their first 3 postoperative days. GI-3 (the later of the following two events: time that the patient first tolerated solid food, AND time that the patient first passed flatus OR a bowel movement) and GI-2 (the later of the following two events: time patient first tolerated solid food AND time patient first passed a bowel movement) were determined. Pain, nausea, vomiting, and use of pain medications were evaluated daily for the first 3 postoperative days.

Results

Ninety patients were randomized. Eighty-one received the allocated intervention: 39 in the true acupuncture group and 42 in the sham acupuncture group, all evaluated for the primary endpoint. The mean time to GI-3 was 149 h [standard deviation (SD) 71 h] and 146 (SD 62 h) after surgery for the acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group (difference between means −2 h; 95 % confidence interval −31, 26; p = 0.9). No significant differences were found between groups for secondary endpoints.

Conclusions

True acupuncture as provided in this study did not reduce POI more significantly than sham acupuncture. The study was limited by a standard deviation much larger than expected, suggesting that a study with a larger sample size might be required.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Maria Kryza, Stacey Guillen, Derek Woo, James Lozada, Gria Jacobs, and Kristofer Prepelica for their assistance in the conduct of the study and the preparation of the manuscript. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant number R21CA122199.

Conflict of interest

No commercial interest is disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Integrative Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Gary Deng MD, PhD, Yi Chan DPM, LAc, Theresa Affuso LAc, LMT, K. Simon Yeung PharmD, LAc, Marci Coleton MA & Barrie Cassileth PhD

  2. Colorectal Surgery Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    W. Douglas Wong MD & Jose Guillem MD, MPH

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Daniel Sjoberg MA & Andrew Vickers PhD

Authors
  1. Gary Deng MD, PhD
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  2. W. Douglas Wong MD
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  3. Jose Guillem MD, MPH
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  4. Yi Chan DPM, LAc
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  5. Theresa Affuso LAc, LMT
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  6. K. Simon Yeung PharmD, LAc
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  7. Marci Coleton MA
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  8. Daniel Sjoberg MA
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  9. Andrew Vickers PhD
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  10. Barrie Cassileth PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary Deng MD, PhD.

Additional information

W. Douglas Wong—Deceased January 20, 2011

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Deng, G., Wong, W.D., Guillem, J. et al. A Phase II, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for Reduction of Postcolectomy Ileus. Ann Surg Oncol 20, 1164–1169 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-012-2759-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-012-2759-7

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