title: Acupuncture for postoperative pain following total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical method in orthopaedics; however, pain management after TKA remains a significant challenge. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of acupuncture for postoperative pain after TKA.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following 10 databases will be searched until August 2015: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, AMED, CINAHL, three Chinese databases (the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Wanfang Database) and five Korean databases (the Korean Medical Database, the Korean Studies Information Service System, the National Discovery for Science Leaders, the Database Periodical Information Academic, and the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System). All eligible randomised controlled trials related to the use of acupuncture for postoperative pain after TKA will be included. Assessment of risk of bias will be performed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias method. Mean differences or standardised mean differences will be calculated with 95% CIs for continuous data; the risk ratio will be used with 95% CIs for dichotomous data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This systematic review will be presented in a peer-reviewed journal. The result of this review will also be disseminated at a relevant conference presentation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  PROSPERO 2015: CRD42015020924.
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Heung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Korean Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015982:Bias; D002681:China; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D059408:Pain Management; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012107:Research Design; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic
keywords: COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE; PAIN MANAGEMENT; REHABILITATION MEDICINE