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Auricular Acupressure in Prehabilitation
A Pilot Study of the Utility of Auricular Acupressure in Enhancing Prehabilitation Benefits in Candidates for Thoracic Surgery.
Who can join
Ages 50 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria * Being considered for major lung surgery * Surgery is not scheduled for at least 2 weeks * Age ≥ 50 years * Able to understand English at a 4th grade level * No known contraindications to prehabilitation (strength, endurance, balance exercises) * Able to provide informed consent for participation * Has an adult care partner who will be available and capable of placing seeds * Has access to smart phone for communication and image sharing * Underwent frailty screening (given any score) * Able to perform spirometry testing in clinic Exclusion Criteria: * Allergy to Vaccaria seeds * Medical condition affecting either ear preventing use of auricular acupressure such as eczema, frostbite, sunburn
About the study
Complementary medicine is recognized for its ability to enhance appetite, increase energy, reduce anxiety, decrease pain, and improve sleep, among many other benefits. Acupuncture is among the most frequent types of complementary medicine practiced in the US, and Medicare currently includes back pain as a reimbursable indication for this therapy. Acupuncture-related therapies may enhance efforts at prehabilitation in candidates for major lung resection.
What is being tested
- Auricular Acupressure (other)
Sponsor: University of Chicago · Participants: 40 · Started: Jul 21, 2025
Contact the study team
- Maria Lucia Madariaga, MD · Phone: 7737022500
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06516198
Locations in the U.S.
| Illinois | University of Chicago, Chicago |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.