Nausea and VomittingNCT07887035
Reiki After Bariatric Surgery
A study testing reiki in people with Nausea and Vomitting and Distension; Bowel, run by TC Erciyes University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The aim of this clinical trial was to determine whether Reiki administered to patients after bariatric surgery reduced abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity, and improved their comfort levels. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Nausea and Vomitting, Distension; Bowel, Pain
- What is being tested?
- reiki
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 75 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Nov 2025to 31 Mar 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy).
- Aged 18 years or older.
- No visual or hearing impairments.
- Able to speak Turkish and communicate verbally.
- Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m².
- At least four hours had elapsed since the last analgesic administration.
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- No diagnosed psychiatric disorders.
- Pain intensity score of ≥ 3 on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) in each group.
- Patients transferred to the postoperative ward.
- Willingness to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Patients taking psychiatric medications.
- Patients with open wounds.
- Patients with cardiac arrhythmias.
- Patients with a pacemaker.
- Patients with chronic pain who were taking opioid medications.
- Patients who practiced or taught Reiki.
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- Patients who had received training in energy therapies (e.g., Reiki or Therapeutic Touch).
- Patients using another complementary and integrative therapy (CIT) modality.
- Patients whose surgery lasted longer than 2 hours.
- Patients who spent postoperative day 0 in the intensive care unit.
- Patients who underwent revision surgery.
- Individuals who participated in the pilot study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Adana City Training and Research Hospital
Adana
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Reiki on Abdominal Distension, Nausea-Vomiting, Pain Severity and Comfort Level in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery
The aim of this clinical trial was to determine whether Reiki administered to patients after bariatric surgery reduced abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity, and improved their comfort levels. The primary research questions were as follows:
Does Reiki reduce abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity? Does Reiki improve patient comfort? The researchers compared Reiki with sham Reiki (a procedure designed to resemble Reiki) and routine care. Seventy-five patients were assigned to one of the three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex.
Participants: For three days after bariatric surgery, participants received one session of Reiki, one session of sham Reiki, or routine care and completed questionnaires assessing abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort.
Read the detailed description
Bariatric surgery may lead to abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, increased pain severity, and decreased comfort. This study examined the effects of Reiki administered after bariatric surgery on patients' abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort levels.
The study was conducted between November 2025 and March 2026 at a city training and research hospital in Türkiye. Seventy-five patients who underwent bariatric surgery were assigned to one of three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex: the Reiki group (n = 25), the sham Reiki group (n = 25), and the routine care group (n = 25).
Patients in the Reiki group received one session of Level 1 Reiki, lasting approximately 30 minutes, on postoperative day 0, four hours after analgesic administration. Reiki was administered through touch at nine specific points on the body. Patients in the sham Reiki group received a procedure designed to mimic Reiki, whereas those in the control group received routine care without any additional intervention. The assigned procedures were repeated on postoperative days 1 and 2, and the intervention period lasted three days.
The researchers assessed abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort using questionnaires. In addition, only the index of nausea, vomiting and retching was administered by telephone on the evening of postoperative day 3, after the patients had been discharged. Clarify the intervention schedule Specify the study design.
- Conditions
- Nausea and Vomitting, Distension; Bowel, Pain, Comfort
- Being tested
- reiki, Sham Reiki
- Keywords
- Nausea, vomitting, distension, pain, comfort, bariatric surgery, care, reiki
- Medical subject headings
- Nausea, Dilatation, Pathologic, Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
reikiOther
Participants received a single 25-30-minute Level 1 Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body. The session was conducted four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery by a researcher who had received Reiki attunement, in accordance with the study protocol.
Sham ReikiOther
Sham Reiki in addition to routine care, participants received a 25-30-minute sham Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body, administered four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery. In accordance with the study protocol, the session was conducted by Interviewer 2, who had not received Reiki training.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Reiki group | Experimental | Reiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a 30-minute Level 1 Reiki session administered by a researcher trained and experienced in the Usui method, four hours after analgesic administration. Receives: Other: reiki |
| Sham reiki | Placebo comparator | Sham Reiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a single 30-minute sham Reiki session four hours after analgesic administration. The session was administered by an individual who had not received Reiki training or Reiki attunement. The procedure was presented to participants as Reiki. Receives: Other: Sham Reiki |
| Control | No intervention | Routine care |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Nausea and Vomitting
Nausea was assessed using the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR). The maximum possible score is 32, with higher scores indicating more severe nausea, vomiting, and retching symptoms.
Measured: Before Reiki administration and on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2. On the evening of discharge, the scale was administered by telephone on postoperative day 3.
Pain
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess pain intensity. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no pain at all," that pain intensity increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "unbearable pain." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their pain intensity.
Measured: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Distension
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess abdominal distension. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no abdominal distension," that the severity of abdominal distension increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "the most severe abdominal distension imaginable." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their perceived level of abdominal distension.
Measured: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Comfort
Patient comfort was assessed using the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). The maximum possible total score is 192, and the minimum is 48.
Measured: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Oct 2026
- Study start1 Nov 2025
- Primary completion31 Mar 2026
- Study completion31 Mar 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Nausea and VomittingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- TC Erciyes University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hatice Ciftci, TC Erciyes University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07887035
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 05.12.2024/267
- Other IDs
- 125S460
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Reiki on Abdominal Distension, Nausea-Vomiting, Pain Severity and Comfort Level in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07887035
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 05.12.2024/267
- Conditions
- Nausea and Vomitting, Distension; Bowel, Pain, Comfort
- Keywords
- Nausea, vomitting, distension, pain, comfort, bariatric surgery, care, reiki
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- TC Erciyes UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Mar 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of this clinical trial was to determine whether Reiki administered to patients after bariatric surgery reduced abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity, and improved their comfort levels. The primary research questions were as follows:
Does Reiki reduce abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity? Does Reiki improve patient comfort? The researchers compared Reiki with sham Reiki (a procedure designed to resemble Reiki) and routine care. Seventy-five patients were assigned to one of the three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex.
Participants: For three days after bariatric surgery, participants received one session of Reiki, one session of sham Reiki, or routine care and completed questionnaires assessing abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort.
Detailed description
Bariatric surgery may lead to abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, increased pain severity, and decreased comfort. This study examined the effects of Reiki administered after bariatric surgery on patients' abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort levels.
The study was conducted between November 2025 and March 2026 at a city training and research hospital in Türkiye. Seventy-five patients who underwent bariatric surgery were assigned to one of three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex: the Reiki group (n = 25), the sham Reiki group (n = 25), and the routine care group (n = 25).
Patients in the Reiki group received one session of Level 1 Reiki, lasting approximately 30 minutes, on postoperative day 0, four hours after analgesic administration. Reiki was administered through touch at nine specific points on the body. Patients in the sham Reiki group received a procedure designed to mimic Reiki, whereas those in the control group received routine care without any additional intervention. The assigned procedures were repeated on postoperative days 1 and 2, and the intervention period lasted three days.
The researchers assessed abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort using questionnaires. In addition, only the index of nausea, vomiting and retching was administered by telephone on the evening of postoperative day 3, after the patients had been discharged. Clarify the intervention schedule Specify the study design.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Reiki group | Experimental | Other: reikiReiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a 30-minute Level 1 Reiki session administered by a researcher trained and experienced in the Usui method, four hours after analgesic administration. |
| Sham reiki | Placebo comparator | Other: Sham ReikiSham Reiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a single 30-minute sham Reiki session four hours after analgesic administration. The session was administered by an individual who had not received Reiki training or Reiki attunement. The procedure was presented to participants as Reiki. |
| Control | No intervention | –Routine care |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy).
- Aged 18 years or older.
- No visual or hearing impairments.
- Able to speak Turkish and communicate verbally.
- Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m².
Key exclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Patients taking psychiatric medications.
- Patients with open wounds.
- Patients with cardiac arrhythmias.
- Patients with a pacemaker.
- Patients with chronic pain who were taking opioid medications.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| reikiParticipants received a single 25-30-minute Level 1 Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body. The session was conducted four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery by a researcher who had received Reiki attunement, in accordance with the study protocol. | Other | Reiki group |
| Sham ReikiSham Reiki in addition to routine care, participants received a 25-30-minute sham Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body, administered four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery. In accordance with the study protocol, the session was conducted by Interviewer 2, who had not received Reiki training. | Other | Sham reiki |
Primary outcome
Nausea and Vomitting
Time frame: Before Reiki administration and on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2. On the evening of discharge, the scale was administered by telephone on postoperative day 3.
Nausea was assessed using the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR). The maximum possible score is 32, with higher scores indicating more severe nausea, vomiting, and retching symptoms.
Pain
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess pain intensity. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no pain at all," that pain intensity increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "unbearable pain." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their pain intensity.
Distension
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess abdominal distension. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no abdominal distension," that the severity of abdominal distension increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "the most severe abdominal distension imaginable." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their perceived level of abdominal distension.
Comfort
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Patient comfort was assessed using the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). The maximum possible total score is 192, and the minimum is 48.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Oct 2026.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing reiki in people with Nausea and Vomitting and Distension; Bowel, run by TC Erciyes University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 10 inclusion and 12 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Nausea and Vomitting (time frame: Before Reiki administration and on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2. On the evening of discharge, the scale was administered by telephone on postoperative day 3.). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Oct 2026.