Adhesive Small Bowel ObstructionNCT04318821
Effect of Laser Acupuncture on Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction
A study testing Laser acupuncture in people with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction, run by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
Trial summary
Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is one of the most common complications and is a major cause of admission after intra-abdominal surgery. To date, the ideal management of ASBO remains controversial. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction
- What is being tested?
- Laser acupuncture
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTaiwan
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2020to 28 Feb 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 20 to 80 years
- Clinical symptoms and signs of mechanical obstruction
Who cannot join
- Clear non-adhesive etiology of small bowel obstruction (e.g. tumor, hernia)
- Emergency surgical intervention before being admitted to the hospital
- Pregnancy
- Local skin infection on the acupoints, and limb amputees.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effect of Laser Acupuncture on Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: a Prospective Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial
Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is one of the most common complications and is a major cause of admission after intra-abdominal surgery. To date, the ideal management of ASBO remains controversial. The aim of this protocol designed as a double-blind randomized controlled trial is to investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture (LA) therapy in patients with ASBO.
- Conditions
- Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction
- Being tested
- Laser acupuncture
- Keywords
- Adhesive small bowel obstruction, Laser acupuncture, Acupuncture
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Laser acupunctureProcedure or surgery
Laser acupuncture is a non-invasive therapy that involves stimulation of traditional acupoints with low-intensity, non-thermal laser irradiation.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| LA group | Experimental | The subjects in the experimental group will receive 0.375 J of energy at each of the following acupoints: LI4 (Hegu, B3), PC6 (Neiguan, B3), ST25 (Tianshu, B3), ST36 (Zusanli, B2), CV4 (Guanyuan), CV12 (Zhongwan, B3). Receives: Procedure: Laser acupuncture |
| Control group | Sham comparator | The subjects in the control group will receive sham LA treatment, without any laser output (no stimulation) at the same acupoints used in experimental group. Receives: Procedure: Laser acupuncture |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Success rate of conservative treatment
Defined as no need for long term nasogastric tube decompression and operative intervention.
Measured: 2 week
Secondary outcomes (8)
Time to oral intake
Defined as participants can try intake due to symptoms improved including nausea, vomiting, distension and pain.
Measured: 2 weeks
Length of hospital stay
Date from admission to discharge
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Serum lipase
Serum lipase
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Serum amylase
Serum amylase
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Serum cortisol
Serum cortisol
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Serum motilin
Serum motilin
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Serum ghrelin
Serum ghrelin
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP)
Serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP)
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Mar 2020
- Study start1 Mar 2020
- Primary completion1 Feb 2023
- Study completion28 Feb 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Adhesive Small Bowel ObstructionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chang Gung Memorial HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Chun-Ting Liu, MD, Principal investigator, Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04318821
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CMRPG8K0571
- Status last verified
- Mar 2023
- First submitted
- 16 Mar 2020
- Last updated
- 17 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Shih CH, Hsieh TM, Wu BY, Liu CT. Effect of laser acupuncture on adhesive small bowel obstruction: A prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Mar 5;100(9):e25035. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000025035.
PubMed 33655978
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Laser Acupuncture on Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: a Prospective Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04318821
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CMRPG8K0571
- Conditions
- Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction
- Keywords
- Adhesive small bowel obstruction, Laser acupuncture, Acupuncture
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Chang Gung Memorial HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Feb 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 28 Feb 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Mar 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) is one of the most common complications and is a major cause of admission after intra-abdominal surgery. To date, the ideal management of ASBO remains controversial. The aim of this protocol designed as a double-blind randomized controlled trial is to investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture (LA) therapy in patients with ASBO.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| LA group | Experimental | Procedure: Laser acupunctureThe subjects in the experimental group will receive 0.375 J of energy at each of the following acupoints: LI4 (Hegu, B3), PC6 (Neiguan, B3), ST25 (Tianshu, B3), ST36 (Zusanli, B2), CV4 (Guanyuan), CV12 (Zhongwan, B3). |
| Control group | Sham comparator | Procedure: Laser acupunctureThe subjects in the control group will receive sham LA treatment, without any laser output (no stimulation) at the same acupoints used in experimental group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Aged 20 to 80 years
- Clinical symptoms and signs of mechanical obstruction
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Clear non-adhesive etiology of small bowel obstruction (e.g. tumor, hernia)
- Emergency surgical intervention before being admitted to the hospital
- Pregnancy
- Local skin infection on the acupoints, and limb amputees.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Laser acupunctureLaser acupuncture is a non-invasive therapy that involves stimulation of traditional acupoints with low-intensity, non-thermal laser irradiation. | Procedure or surgery | Control group, LA group |
Primary outcome
Success rate of conservative treatment
Time frame: 2 week
Defined as no need for long term nasogastric tube decompression and operative intervention.
8 secondary outcomes
Time to oral intake
Time frame: 2 weeks
Length of hospital stay
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Serum lipase
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Serum amylase
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Serum cortisol
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Serum motilin
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Serum ghrelin
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP)
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Aug 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 33655978Shih CH, Hsieh TM, Wu BY, Liu CT. Effect of laser acupuncture on adhesive small bowel obstruction: A prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Mar 5;100(9):e25035. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000025035.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Chun-Ting Liu, MD principal investigator
Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Laser acupuncture in people with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction, run by Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Taiwan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Success rate of conservative treatment (time frame: 2 week). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04318821, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Aug 2026.