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The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether imagined acupuncture can reduce postoperative acute pain in adult patients undergoing spinal surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does video-guided imagined acupuncture improve postoperative pain control?
Does the intervention reduce opioid consumption and improve functional recovery in the immediate postoperative period?
Researchers will compare the imagined acupuncture group to the control education video group to see if imagery-based intervention leads to better pain outcomes and reduced analgesic use.
Participants will:
Watch a 30-minute video once daily for 7 consecutive days after surgery
Complete pain and function assessments during the hospital stay and postoperative follow-up
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Imagined Acupuncture Intervention | Experimental | Participants assigned to Group 1 will receive standard postoperative care and a daily VGAIT session once per day for seven consecutive days following surgery. Each session will last approximately 30 minutes and will be guided by a standardized video designed to induce acupuncture imagery and mental engagement. VGAIT will be administered at the same time each day (e.g., 9:00 AM ± 30 minutes). VAS and ODI assessments will be administered following the completion of the video session. The initial video session will be administered once the patient has fully regained consciousness in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) following surgery. |
|
| Group 2: Education video | Sham Comparator | Participants in the control group will receive standard postoperative care and Education video without any simulated acupuncture intervention. VAS and ODI assessments will be conducted at the same intervals as in Group 1 for consistency and comparison. |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment (VGAIT) | Other | Unlike traditional acupuncture, VGAIT can be self-administered and does not require physical needle insertion, making it a practical alternative for patients seeking non-invasive pain management. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Scores (VAS) | Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) daily, including VAS at rest, VAS on movement | During the first postoperative week (Days 0-6) |
| 2) Functional Scores (ODI) | Functional status will be evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) | On postoperative Day6 |
| 3) Rescue Opioid Consumption | The total amount of rescue opioid medication used during the first postoperative week will be recorded in milligrams (oral and intravenous) | On postoperative Day6 |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Time to First Rescue Analgesia | The exact time (in hours and minutes) from the end of surgery to the administration of the first rescue analgesic will be recorded | On postoperative Day6 |
| 2) Total Analgesic Consumption |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jingping Wang Associate Professor | Contact | 6176432729 | JWANG23@mgh.harvard.edu |
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| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital | Recruiting | Boston | Massachusetts | 02114 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33362889 | Result | Kong J, Eshel MN. Applying the Power of the Mind in Acupuncture Treatment of Pain. Med Acupunct. 2020 Dec 1;32(6):367-372. doi: 10.1089/acu.2020.1477. Epub 2020 Dec 16. | |
| 19501656 | Result | Kong J, Kaptchuk TJ, Polich G, Kirsch I, Vangel M, Zyloney C, Rosen B, Gollub RL. An fMRI study on the interaction and dissociation between expectation of pain relief and acupuncture treatment. Neuroimage. 2009 Sep;47(3):1066-76. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.05.087. Epub 2009 Jun 6. |
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Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared due to concerns about patient privacy and the sensitive nature of the data collected, including postoperative pain scores and behavioral intervention responses.
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D000377 | Agnosia |
| D010149 | Pain, Postoperative |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D010468 | Perceptual Disorders |
| D019954 | Neurobehavioral Manifestations |
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D009422 | Nervous System Diseases |
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| Education video | Other | Education video about postoperative precautions |
|
The cumulative amount of all pain medications (opioid and non-opioid, oral and intravenous) administered within 7 days postoperatively, recorded in milligrams.
| On postoperative Day6 |
| 3) Length of Hospital Stay | Measured as the number of days from the date of surgery to the date of hospital discharge. | On postoperative Day6 |
| 4) Adverse Effects | Incidence of treatment-related side effects, including nausea, vomiting, dizziness, respiratory depression, urinary retention, ileus, or any other reported complications. | On postoperative Day6 |
| 5) Additional Assessment Tools | RCSQ: Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire | On postoperative Day6 |
| 34292206 | Result | Cao J, Tu Y, Orr SP, Wilson G, Kong J. Modulatory Effects of Actual and Imagined Acupuncture on the Functional Connectivity of the Periaqueductal Gray and Ventral Tegmental Area. Psychosom Med. 2021 Oct 1;83(8):870-879. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000984. |
| 30137262 | Result | Cao J, Tu Y, Orr SP, Lang C, Park J, Vangel M, Chen L, Gollub R, Kong J. Analgesic Effects Evoked by Real and Imagined Acupuncture: A Neuroimaging Study. Cereb Cortex. 2019 Jul 22;29(8):3220-3231. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhy190. |
| 32682992 | Result | Cao J, Tu Y, Wilson G, Orr SP, Kong J. Characterizing the analgesic effects of real and imagined acupuncture using functional and structure MRI. Neuroimage. 2020 Nov 1;221:117176. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117176. Epub 2020 Jul 17. |
| 37509469 | Result | Kong Q, Sacca V, Walker K, Hodges S, Kong J. Thalamocortical Mechanisms Underlying Real and Imagined Acupuncture. Biomedicines. 2023 Jun 26;11(7):1830. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11071830. |
| 32684925 | Result | Cao J, Orr SP, Wilson G, Kong J. Imagined and Actual Acupuncture Effects on Chronic Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study. Neural Plast. 2020 Jul 1;2020:8579743. doi: 10.1155/2020/8579743. eCollection 2020. |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D011183 | Postoperative Complications |
| D010335 | Pathologic Processes |
| D010146 | Pain |