This trial uniquely tests whether acupuncture can improve pain recovery and cost-effectiveness after gynecological abdominal surgery compared with a convincing sham treatment.
The study uses a randomized, sham-controlled design in which patients and outcome assessors are unaware of treatment allocation. Adults undergoing midline abdominal surgery for gynecological tumors receive either acupuncture or non-invasive sham treatment before surgery, after returning to the ward, and daily during the early postoperative period. Researchers assess pain during hospitalization, use of additional pain medication, opioid consumption, recovery time, recovery quality, quality of life, safety, and comparative healthcare costs.
The trial evaluates whether acupuncture reduces postoperative pain and reliance on rescue medication while improving recovery, mobility-related outcomes, patient wellbeing, and value for money. By comparing acupuncture with a non-invasive sham procedure rather than usual care alone, the study is designed to distinguish treatment-specific benefits from expectation and placebo effects in a hospital surgical setting.
