Clinical trial NCT02813278: Simo Decoction and Acupuncture on POI in Colorectal Cancer
Official title: Efficacy of Simo Decoction and Acupuncture or Chewing Gum Alone on Postoperative Ileus in Colorectal Cancer Resection: a Randomized Clinical Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Colorectal Cancer
Lead sponsor: Guangxi Medical University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2016-06-24
Enrollment: 600
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 75
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: Colorectal cancer resection is one of the most common types of abdominal surgery. Though most patients undergoing colorectal resection show recovery of bowel movements within a week, some have prolonged intestinal paralysis or postoperative ileus, resulting in decreasing patient comfort, increasing morbidity and mortality, a longer hospital stay and subsequent increased healthcare costs.

Detailed description: Prevention the incidence of postoperative ileus (POI) is quite important because of the negative clinical outcomes it causes. In the past two decades, many treatments and care approaches, such as fluid restriction, early enteral nutrition, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug are used for the management of POI. In theory of traditional Chinese medicine, oral simo decoction (SMD) or acupuncture at the tsusanli acupoint can boost gastrointestinal hypomotility. The efficacy of accelerating the return of gastrointestinal function by such single method or combination of them has been validated in randomized controlled trials and systematic review following several types of surgery. In recent years, chewing gum, a new and simple modality, has become a commonly applied method in order to prevent and reduce the POI. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses revealed that chewing gum provided significant benefits for the improvement of postoperative bowel function. More importantly, many official guidelines recommend chewing gum for an evidence-based approach in the prevention of POI. Despite these positive evidence, three newest randomized controlled trials are unable to demonstrate an effect of chewing gum on the recovery of bowel function after colorectal resection.

It is important to note that almost all previous randomized controlled trials are based on small sample size. This raises the question whether postoperative SMD, acupuncture at the tsusanli acupoint, or chewing gum can reduce risk of POI following colorectal resection among patients with large sample size. To examine this question, we conducted this randomized controlled trial to compare incidence of POI and length of hospital stay in colorectal cancer patients who received SMD and acupuncture, chewing gum or no intervention following resection.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Underwent open or laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection
* Diagnosis of colorectal cancer was confirmed by histopathological examination of surgical samples in all patients

Exclusion Criteria:

* Previously underwent exploratory laparotomy
* Known Central Nervous System tumors including metastatic brain disease
* History of organ allograft
* Substance abuse, medical, psychological or social conditions that may interfere with the patient's participation in the study or evaluation of the study results
* Any condition that is unstable or which could jeopardize the safety of the patient and his/her compliance in the study
* Pregnant or breast-feeding patients

Primary outcomes:
measure: First flatus time
timeFrame: one day
measure: Length of hospital stay
timeFrame: one day
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Nanning
country: China
facility: Yang Yang
state: Guangxi
Study officials:
References:
citation: van den Heijkant TC, Costes LM, van der Lee DG, Aerts B, Osinga-de Jong M, Rutten HR, Hulsewe KW, de Jonge WJ, Buurman WA, Luyer MD. Randomized clinical trial of the effect of gum chewing on postoperative ileus and inflammation in colorectal surgery. Br J Surg. 2015 Feb;102(3):202-11. doi: 10.1002/bjs.9691. Epub 2014 Dec 18.
citation: Kobayashi T, Masaki T, Kogawa K, Matsuoka H, Sugiyama M. Efficacy of Gum Chewing on Bowel Movement After Open Colectomy for Left-Sided Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Dis Colon Rectum. 2015 Nov;58(11):1058-63. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000000452.
citation: Atkinson C, Penfold CM, Ness AR, Longman RJ, Thomas SJ, Hollingworth W, Kandiyali R, Leary SD, Lewis SJ. Randomized clinical trial of postoperative chewing gum versus standard care after colorectal resection. Br J Surg. 2016 Jul;103(8):962-70. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10194. Epub 2016 May 5.
citation: Yang Y, Zuo HQ, Li Z, Qin YZ, Mo XW, Huang MW, Lai H, Wu LC, Chen JS. Comparison of efficacy of simo decoction and acupuncture or chewing gum alone on postoperative ileus in colorectal cancer resection: a randomized trial. Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 19;7:37826. doi: 10.1038/srep37826.