An interventional study of Acupressure group in Pain, Acute, Breathing, Mouth and Relaxation; Diaphragm, sponsored by Özgül Aydemir. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-13.
Sponsored by Özgül Aydemir · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Pain is a subjective, sensory and emotionally unpleasant experience resulting from real or hidden injuries in tissues. The pain experience is a subjective and unique experience in physiological and psychological terms and is the first negative sensory experience of the patient after the surgical procedure. Thoracotomy is an invasive surgical incision that causes severe postoperative pain due to the negative effect on the ribs, muscles and peripheral nerves. During thoracic surgery, anatomical lung resection is performed through posterolateral thoracotomy. Surgical incision during thoracotomy surgery is the most severe cause of postoperative pain. Epidural analgesia, peripheral nerve block and systematic treatment methods are used in post-thoracotomy pain management. Opioid use is frequently preferred in post-thoracotomy pain management. Although thoracotomy pain can mostly be controlled with opioid analgesics, excessive use of opioids may lead to respiratory suppression, constipation, suppression of cough, nausea, vomiting and many other possible side effects. Ineffective postoperative pain management may lead to postoperative complications such as increased cardiac workload, prolonged pulmonary rehabilitation and delayed wound healing. The use of holistic non-drug pain relief methods is vital in reducing the need for opioid analgesics and the risk of possible side effects in early postoperative pain management.
Many non-drug applications such as music therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, cryotherapy, acupuncture, electroacupuncture are used in pain management after thoracic surgery and to reduce analgesic use. Acupuncture is an application that provides the balance of energy flow (Qi) on meridians with thin needles placed at certain points of the body, which has been widely applied in China for more than 4000 years. Factors such as trauma and surgical incision disrupt the energy flow between meridians and cause problems in organ groups where meridians are effective. Acupuncture is accepted as an application that helps to balance this energy flow. Acupressure application, which is included in nursing practices, is a holistic non-pharmaceutical application based on acupuncture. Acupressure is a holistic treatment method that includes manual and noninvasive methods that provide stimulation to acupuncture points with pressure instead of needle stimulation. The point where acupressure will be applied is selected among the acupuncture points on the relevant meridian according to the problem existing in the individual. In acupressure application, pressure can be applied to a single point or more than one point consecutively.In acupressure application, it is reported that pressure can be applied to a single point, as well as stimulating multiple points consecutively will increase the desired effect. As the preferred acupuncture key points on the meridians, points on the hand, finger, wrist, palm, elbow, knee, and feet are often preferred. Acupressure tactilely reduces the sensation of pain by stimulating Aβ nerve fibres; increases the pain threshold by supporting the release of endogenous opioids; regulates the transmission of pain signals by secreting serotonin and norepinephrine, which are neurotransmitters responsible for the regulation of pain. In a randomised controlled study, the efficacy of acupressure in the treatment of postoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery was examined. The participants in the experimental group were acupressured three times a day for two days at LI11, LU7, LU9, LU5, LU1, LU2, TE5, TE6, PC4, PC6 and LI4 acupressure points. In the control group, routine treatment of the clinic was applied and acupressure was not applied. After acupressure application, the pain score of the experimental group was found to be lower compared to the control group (p \< 0.001). Similarly, it is reported in the literature that the use of acupressure is one of the best options for the relief of postoperative pain. It is also reported in the literature that acupressure can effectively improve lung function, dyspnoea and quality of life of patients with pneumonia.
Non-drug applications planned for the expected pain in the early postthoracotomy period are important in terms of reducing respiratory complications, improving the quality of pain management and supporting patients. When the literature is examined, there is no study examining the effect of acupressure on pain and lung volume during deep breathing and cough exercises, which have an important role in maintaining and improving lung volume after thoracotomy.
1,073 studies on the registry are indexed under Acute Pain; 166 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 80 is close to the median of 86 across 902 interventional studies indexed under Acute Pain.
Browse Acute Pain studies →This is the only study on the registry with Özgül Aydemir as lead sponsor.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients meeting the research criteria were included in the experimental group according to the randomisation table. The acupressure combination will be applied to the LI11, LU7, LU9, LU5, LU1, LU2, TE5, TE6,PC4, PC6 and LI4 points 2, 6 and 24 hours after surgery. Applications will last 1 minute for each point. Applications will last 1 minute for each point. Patients in this group will continue to receive routine clinical treatment and care. The patients' pain level during rest, breathing, coughing and mobilisation before surgery and 2, 6 and 24 hours after surgery, blood pressure, respiratory rate, respiratory count, SpO2 values, and lung volume before surgery and 24 hours after surgery will be measured and recorded using triflow. Additionally, the individuals' breathing and coughing exercise status will be assessed within the first 24 hours after surgery. These stages will also be carried out in a similar manner in the control group without any intervention.
Other: Acupressure group
Patients meeting the study criteria were included in the control group according to the randomisation table. Patients in this group will continue to receive routine clinical treatment and care. The patients' pain level during rest, breathing, coughing and mobilisation before surgery and 2, 6 and 24 hours after surgery, blood pressure, respiratory rate, respiratory count, SpO2 values, and lung volume before surgery and 24 hours after surgery will be measured and recorded using triflow. Additionally, individuals' breathing and coughing exercise status will be assessed within the first 24 hours after surgery.
A series of acupressure applications
Pain after thoracotomy
Pain after thoracotomy
Time frame: The patient's visual analogue scale pain score (VAS) at 2, 6, and 24 hours post-surgery,
Pain during rest
Pain during rest
Time frame: The patient's visual analogue scale pain score (VAS) at 2, 6, and 24 hours post-surgery
Pain during respiratory exercise
Pain during respiratory exercise
Time frame: The patient's visual analogue scale pain score (VAS) at 2, 6, and 24 hours post-surgery
Pain during coughing exercise
Pain during coughing exercise
Time frame: The patient's visual analogue scale pain score at (VAS) 2, 6, and 24 hours post-surgery
Lung function
Lung function
Time frame: Preoperative triflow measurement results and postoperative 24-hour triflow measurement results (cc/s)
Total amount of analgesics used
Total amount of analgesics used
Time frame: The total amount of analgesic administered to the patient at the 2nd, 6th and 24th postoperative hours will be recorded.
Pain before thoracotomy
Pain before thoracotomy
Time frame: The patient's visual analogue scale pain score (VAS) at 2, 6, and 24 hours post-surgery
Plan to share: No
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