Efficacy of Acupuncture for Prophylaxis of Intrathecal Morphine Induced Pruritis in Patients Undergoing Caesarean Delivery

Letterkenny General Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Acupuncture; Morphine Induced Pruritis

Treatments: Device: ACUPUNCTURE AT LI11; Device: SHAM ACUPUNCTURE

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01283477

ITM - LI 11

Details and patient eligibility

About

Intrathecal morphine is commonly used for pain relief in caesarean delivery. Side effects such as itch (pruritis) and nausea & vomiting are common and have been shown to be the most common cause for dissatisfaction. The incidence of pruritis is 74% even with current available medications. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for morphine related side effects but has not been evaluated for prophylaxis of itch in pregnant population.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

Acupuncture at LI 11 reduces the incidence of pruritis after elective caesarean section under spinal with intrathecal morphine

Enrollment: 44 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ASA I & II patients undergoing elective caesarean delivery under spinal with intrathecal morphine

Exclusion criteria

• Patient refusal
• ASA III & IV patients
• Pre-existing pruritis
• Eczema
• Bleeding tendencies
• Known allergy to any of medications used
• Any contra indication to spinal anaesthesia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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44 participants in 2 patient groups

ACUPUNCTURE

Experimental group

Treatment:

Device: ACUPUNCTURE AT LI11

SHAM ACUPUNCTURE

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Device: SHAM ACUPUNCTURE