Ear-Zap device may calm surgery nerves without pills

NCT ID NCT07495163

Not yet recruiting Symptom relief Sponsor: Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests a non-invasive device that gently stimulates a nerve in the ear to reduce anxiety in people having major abdominal surgery. Over 282 participants will either get the real stimulation or a sham version for 60 minutes daily, starting two days before surgery. The goal is to see if this approach can lower anxiety and improve recovery without the side effects of standard anxiety medications.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) device
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to ease anxiety before and after major abdominal surgery, potentially improving recovery.
What could go wrong: This is an early-stage trial with no phase designation, so results are uncertain. The effect may be small or no different from a placebo, and the device may not work for everyone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY PERIOPERATIVE ANXIETY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Huzhou Central Hospital

Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
Jiande First People's Hospital

Meicheng, Zhejiang, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University

Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Hangzhou, China

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