Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Postoperative Delirium and Negative Emotions in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Starting soon · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Postoperative Delirium (POD), Postoperative, Anxiety, Depression, Cardiac Surgical Procedures

In brief

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial to investigate the effects of intraoperative transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on the incidence of postoperative delirium and negative emotional states (anxiety, depression) in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07476742

Run by

Chinese PLA General Hospital

People needed

270

Starts

2026-02-28

Expected to finish

2027-02-28

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-17

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 85. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Aged 18 to 85 years. Scheduled for elective cardiac surgery (e.g., CABG, valve replacement/repair). NYHA cardiac function class I-III. Willing and able to provide informed consent. Expected surgery duration ≥ 2 hours.

You may not qualify if…

• Preoperative MMSE score < 24; severe communication barriers. History of diagnosed delirium, dementia, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or long-term use of psychotropic drugs.
• Skin lesions, infection, or deformity of bilateral ears; history of ear surgery or nerve injury; allergy to electrode materials.
• Severe arrhythmia; implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemaker, ICD). Participation in another interventional trial within 3 months. Other conditions deemed unsuitable by investigators.

Where it is running

• First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. — Beijing, China

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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