CLINICAL TRIAL article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Surgical Oncology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2025.1612766
Effect of the thumb-tack needle on gastrointestinal function recovery after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer with the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery: A randomized controlled trial
Provisionally accepted
- Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction is common in patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of thumb-tack needle therapy on GI function recovery after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.Participants were randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group. Both groups received ERAS management. Participants in the treatment group received thumb-tack needle at bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Hegu (LI4), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Primary outcomes included time to bowel sound recovery and first flatus. Secondary outcomes included time to first defecation, removal of the nasogastric tube and intra-abdominal drains , postoperative pain scores, nausea and vomiting scores, abdominal distension scores, length of hospital stay , incidence of complications , safety evaluation, and overall response rate .Results: A total of 103 participants were screened, and 80 were enrolled (40 per group). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Compared with the control group, the treatment group showed significantly shorter times to bowel sound recovery (difference, -4.0 hours, 95% CI, -7.0 to -1.0, P = 0.010), first flatus (-11.0 hours, 95% CI, -19.0 to -2.0, P = 0.017), first defecation (-8.0 hours, 95%CI, -16.0 to -1.0, P = 0.026), nasogastric tube removal (-12.0 hours, 95%CI, -27.0 to -2.0 P = 0.023), and intra-abdominal drains removal (-10.0 hours, 95%CI, -21.0 to -1.0, P = 0.038). Pain scores were significantly lower in the treatment group on postoperative day (POD) 1 [-1, 95% CI, -1 to 0, P = 0.031], POD 2 [-1, 95% CI, -2 to -1, P < 0.001, and POD 3 [-1, 95% CI, -2 to 0, P < 0.001. Similar improvements were observed in nausea and vomiting scores and abdominal distension scores on POD 1 to 3. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications and no adverse reactions occurred in the treatment group. The treatment group also had a significantly shorter hospital stay.The overall response rate was significantly higher in the treatment group (difference, 17.5%, 95% CI, 0.18 to 34.0, P = 0.046).Thumb-tack needle therapy is a safe and effective intervention that promotes early recovery of GI function after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
Keywords: Thumb-tack needle, gastric cancer, GI function recovery, Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, Eras
Received: 25 Apr 2025; Accepted: 05 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Guo, Lin, Jin, Tuo, Li, Yang and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Shuai Guo, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Qian Wang, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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