Could a painless electrical patch help cancer patients sleep better after surgery?
NCT ID NCT07654075
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a non-invasive technique called transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) can prevent or treat sleep problems after cancer surgery. TEAS uses mild electrical pulses on specific points on the skin, based on acupuncture, without needles. The trial includes 176 adults undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal or gynecologic cancer. Half receive real TEAS before and after surgery, while the other half get a sham device that looks identical but delivers no stimulation. Researchers will measure sleep quality, pain levels, and recovery up to 30 days after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to help cancer patients sleep better and recover more comfortably after surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-center trial with 176 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The sham control group still receives standard care, so any benefit may be small or due to placebo.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University
Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030001, China
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