The ACURE Trial: Acupuncture for Colorectal Recovery

Purpose: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether electroacupuncture (EA) can accelerate the recovery of bowel function in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer. Main Questions to be Answered: Does electroacupuncture reduce the time to the first bowel movement after surgery compared to standard care or a \"sham\" (placebo) treatment? Can electroacupuncture improve overall gastrointestinal tolerance and reduce postoperative discomfort? Study Design: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Electroacupuncture Group: Receives active electrical stimulation at specific acupuncture points. Sham Acupuncture Group: Receives superficial needling at non-treatment points with no electrical current to serve as a placebo. Standard Care Group: Receives standard hospital recovery protocols (ERAS) without acupuncture. All treatments will consist of four 30-minute sessions: one before surgery and three on the days following the procedure. Researchers will compare the three groups to see if the electroacupuncture group experiences a faster return of digestive function.