Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) Facilitates Postoperative Recovery in Day Lung Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: This study investigates the efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) in reducing postoperative pain, minimizing analgesic use, and enhancing recovery in day lung cancer surgery. Methods: A prospective, sham-controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China, involving 100 participants randomly assigned to TEAS or sham-operation groups. The primary outcome was pain intensity 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included VAS scores at 1h and 12h post-surgery, frequency and dosage of postoperative analgesics, incidence of postoperative vomiting, QoR-15 scores, and length of hospital stay. Findings: Of 132 screened patients, 100 completed the trial. Pain intensity 24 hours after surgery was significantly lower in the TEAS group compared to the sham-operation group (1.72 vs. 4.02, p < 0.001). VAS scores were also significantly lower in the TEAS group at 1 hour (0.94 vs. 1.84, p < 0.01) and 12 hours (2.00 vs. 5.40, p < 0.001) post-surgery. Additionally, the incidence of moderate to severe pain (VAS > 3) at 12 hours was significantly lower in the TEAS group (12% vs. 74%, p < 0.001). The TEAS group required fewer postoperative analgesics and had a shorter hospital stay. While no significant differences were observed in the incidence of vomiting, QoR-15 scores were higher in the TEAS group (130.80 vs. 115.90, p < 0.001). Interpretation: TEAS effectively alleviates postoperative pain and promotes early recovery in patients undergoing day lung cancer surgery, enhancing the overall hospitalization experience. Trial Registration: The trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR, No. ChiCTR2200066600). Funding: This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (YG2024LC10) and Shanghai Hospital Association Hospital Management Research Fund (x2022179) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82373226). Declaration of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical Approval: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai, China (IRB #KS (Y) 23025) and conducted in accordance with the Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and relevant Chinese regulations. Informed consent was obtained from all participants.