Studying Pain Relief Using Electrical Stimulation Based on Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture During Unsedated Colonoscopy with Brain Activity Monitoring

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating the pain-relief mechanism of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation based on Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture TENS-WAA during unsedated colonoscopy. This single-center, randomized controlled trial uses EEG-fNIRS technology to monitor brain activity in areas linked to pain perception. Sixty patients aged 18 to 75 years with stable heart and lung function and low baseline pain scores will participate to better understand TENS-WAAs neuroregulatory effects on pain during colonoscopy. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the electrical stimulation group or the control group. In the stimulation group, electrodes will be placed on specific ankle zones and deliver electrical currents at the highest comfortable intensity below the pain threshold, with settings of 2 Hz frequency and 500 microseconds pulse width. The control group will have electrodes in the same positions but with minimal current intensity. Both groups will wear EEG-fNIRS devices to monitor brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, motor cortex, and parietal cortex during the procedure. During the study, neural activity data will be collected alongside pain scores measured by the visual analog scale at key points of the colonoscopy. The total time to reach certain colon bends and the ileocecal valve will also be recorded. Researchers will analyze correlations between brain signals and pain perception using advanced statistical models. The study aims to provide new approaches for pain management in unsedated colonoscopy and enhance understanding of TENS-WAAs effects. Participation lasts through the colonoscopy procedure with monitoring during and after.

Analysis of the Analgesic Mechanism of TENS-WAA During Non-anesthetized Colonoscopy Using EEG-fNIRS System