<![CDATA[Newsroom Hospital for Special Surgery]]> https://news.hss.edu/ en-us Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:27:19 +0200 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:05:58 +0200 <![CDATA[Newsroom Hospital for Special Surgery]]> https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_2373.png https://news.hss.edu/ 144 Acupuncture may improve pain, reduce opioid use after THA https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-may-improve-pain-reduce-opioid-use-after-tha/ https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-may-improve-pain-reduce-opioid-use-after-tha/743294Orthopedics Today/Healio featuring Stephanie Cheng, MD

]]>Stephanie Cheng, MD, anesthesiologist at HSS, presented new research at the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) Annual Symposium suggesting acupuncture performed during total hip arthroplasty as part of an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol may improve immediate postoperative pain and reduce early opioid use.

“This is something that is very, very safe,” Dr. Cheng, told Healio about results which were awarded first place in the AAMA annual research paper competition. “The safety profile is good. It is performed on the ear, it is away from the surgical site and you are not dealing with infection. Anything that can help us decrease opioid usage, increase patient satisfaction and decrease their length of stay is something that we should try.”

Read the full article at healio.com.

]]> Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:05:58 -0400 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 Three HSS Studies Presented at ESRA Annual Meeting Show that Ear Acupuncture During Hip Replacement Surgery Reduces Opioid Use https://news.hss.edu/three-hss-studies-presented-at-esra-annual-meeting-show-that-ear-acupuncture-during-hip-replacement-surgery-reduces-opioid-use/ https://news.hss.edu/three-hss-studies-presented-at-esra-annual-meeting-show-that-ear-acupuncture-during-hip-replacement-surgery-reduces-opioid-use/721700HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 16th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2025-2026), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2024-2025). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fifth consecutive year (2025). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.

]]>Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) have found that a specialized form of acupuncture applied to the outer ear during hip replacement surgery reduces pain after the operation and lessens opioid use over the weeks to follow. The findings of three studies assessing ear acupuncture for inpatient and outpatient total hip arthroplasty were presented at the 42nd Annual Congress of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) in Oslo, Norway. 

"Acupuncture helps amplify the body's healing ability by increasing endorphins and decreasing inflammatory proteins," explained Stephanie Cheng, MD, anesthesiologist at HSS, and senior author of all three studies. "We found that among patients who received ear acupuncture during surgery, there was a significant decrease in the use of opioids in the recovery room, a significant reduction in pain scores immediately after surgery and one day later, and a trend toward lower opioid usage 30 days after the operation." 

In addition to being an anesthesiologist at HSS, Dr. Cheng is a board-certified medical acupuncturist who designed the CHENG Protocol: the insertion of acupuncture needles in specific points of the outer ear and the conduction of an electrical signal through those needles to help relieve surgery-related pain. During such electroauricular acupuncture (EAA), controlled electrical stimulation of the needles enhances their therapeutic effects. 

HSS is a pioneer in the use of EAA during joint replacement surgery. Dr. Cheng began evaluating the technique in 2018. HSS now routinely offers it to all patients having total knee and hip replacements at the hospital, and by request to patients who have other procedures. 

Study: Intraoperative Auricular Acupuncture Among Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty Surgery: Experience From A High-Volume Orthopedic Center 

In this retrospective study, Dr. Cheng and her fellow investigators analyzed medical records for more than 2,193 inpatient and 1,075 outpatient hip replacement surgeries performed at HSS between 2021 and 2025. They compared patients who received CHENG Protocol acupuncture without a nerve block to those who received a nerve block without the acupuncture. 

During the CHENG Protocol, the needles are inserted into eight points of the ear after the patient is asleep following initial induction anesthesia, but before the incision is made. The needles remain in place and the electrical current is applied for one hour. 

Among inpatients in the study, those who had acupuncture used fewer opioids, reported less pain, and were discharged from the hospital nine hours sooner. No consistent differences were found among outpatient cases. 

"When patients feel less pain, they may feel like they can go home a little sooner. Giving acupuncture during hip replacement surgery may help reduce pain and improve recovery, especially as more hospitals move toward performing this procedure on an ambulatory basis," Dr. Cheng suggested. 

Study: Intraoperative Auricular Acupuncture Among Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients is Associated with Reduced Opioid Use in Opioid-Tolerant Patients 

The management of pain in patients who already take opioids before surgery is especially challenging. In this retrospective study, Dr. Cheng and her team determined if EAA given through the CHENG Protocol could help reduce opioid use in such opioid-tolerant patients undergoing hip replacement. They examined the medical records of 2,372 elective inpatient total hip replacements performed between 2021 and 2025, again comparing patients who received acupuncture without a nerve block to those who received a nerve block without acupuncture. 

Among opioid-tolerant patients, those who received ear acupuncture used significantly fewer opioids after surgery. There were no significant differences in opioid use among opioid-naïve patients. Given the complexities associated with managing pain in opioid-tolerant patients, these findings suggest the CHENG Protocol has promise for relieving pain in this group. 

Study: Incorporating Acupuncture into Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) for Ambulatory Total Hip Replacement Surgery 

In this prospective randomized clinical trial, Dr. Cheng and her colleagues studied 484 patients receiving outpatient hip replacement surgery. All of them received standard anesthesia and pain-relieving medications, and half of them also had ear acupuncture according to the CHENG Protocol. 

Patients who received acupuncture reported significantly lower pain scores in the recovery room and on the day after surgery. There was also a significant decrease in opioid use in the recovery room and a trend toward fewer opioids taken in the weeks after surgery. This study was one of the top 100 abstracts selected (out of 2,200 submissions) for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons in October in Dallas. 

HSS offers an accredited continuing medical education program to train anesthesiologists how to perform the CHENG Protocol. Certification laws differ from state to state and among hospitals, but Dr. Cheng has been training physicians across the country and in other nations. 

She concluded, "It's such a simple technique. It's eight needles at 2 cents each. Add a little current, and the outcomes are amazing." 

References 

Intraoperative Auricular Acupuncture Among Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty Surgery: Experience From A High-Volume Orthopedic Center 
Authors: Renee Ren, BA, Jashvant Poeran, MD, PhD, Alex Illescas, MPH, Christopher Li, MD, Eytan Debbi, MD, Elizabeth Gausden, MD, Michael Ast, MD, Stephanie Cheng, MD 

Intraoperative Auricular Acupuncture Among Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients is Associated with Reduced Opioid Use in Opioid-Tolerant Patients 
Authors: Renee Ren, BA, Jashvant Poeran, MD, PhD, Alex Illescas, MPH, Christopher Li, MD, Eytan Debbi, MD, Elizabeth Gausden, MD, Michael Ast, MD, Stephanie Cheng, MD 

Incorporating Acupuncture into Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) for Ambulatory Total Hip Replacement Surgery 
Authors: Marko Popovic, BS, Christopher Li, MD, Junying Wang, PhD, Maya Tailor, BA, Haoyan Zhong, PhD, William Qiao, MD, Michael Ast, MD, Stephanie Cheng, MD 

]]> Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/0039a34a-89ef-4558-95af-e7f6cf4c8a7b/500_gettyimages-459891785.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/0039a34a-89ef-4558-95af-e7f6cf4c8a7b/gettyimages-459891785.jpg?10000 Innovative Hospital: Hospital for Special Surgery https://news.hss.edu/innovative-hospital-hospital-for-special-surgery/ https://news.hss.edu/innovative-hospital-hospital-for-special-surgery/556656Learn how an anesthesiologist uses acupuncture in the operating room to help ease patient recovery.Health.com featuring Stephanie Cheng, MD and Michael P. Ast, MD

]]>Health.com recognizes HSS as a 2023 Innovative Hospital Award winner, celebrating medical institutions that employ fresh and advanced approaches to patient care.  

Stephanie Cheng, MD, anesthesiologist at HSS, performs intraoperative electro-auricular acupuncture, which she said is based on auricular trauma protocol (ATP), an acupuncture practice that was originally used in the military to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. She explained that the acupuncture points she hits from ATP have to do with fear, memory, anxiety, and how the body is feeling overall. Dr. Cheng then added points for anti-inflammation and pain.

Her program at HSS began in October 2018, and she has since seen about 1,000 patients. The program is unique because acupuncture isn’t commonly done in the operating room in the United States. Dr. Cheng said she designed her program with the notion that her office is the operating room. As an anesthesiologist, she sees someone when they come into the operating room and then when they’re asleep. So, she said her objective with acupuncture is to do what she can to help with recovery.

Michael P. Ast, MD, hip and knee surgeon, chief medical innovation officer and vice-chair at HSS Innovation Institute, has been working with Dr. Cheng for about three and a half years and has observed differences in patient behavior in the recovery room with and without acupuncture.

According to Dr. Ast, most patients are sleeping, feeling nauseated, or not looking so great in the recovery room. “The acupuncture patients are sitting up laughing, smiling, joking with me,” he said. “It looks like they’ve never had surgery, and I have never found another way to explain it.”

Read the full article at health.com. 

]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2023 17:36:00 -0500 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 How Acupuncture May Help Relieve Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain https://news.hss.edu/how-acupuncture-may-help-relieve-rheumatoid-arthritis-pain/ https://news.hss.edu/how-acupuncture-may-help-relieve-rheumatoid-arthritis-pain/530262HealthCentral featuring Stephanie Cheng, MD

]]>HealthCentral discusses how acupuncture may help relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain according to experts including Stephanie Cheng, MD, anesthesiologist at HSS.

Dr. Cheng explained, “Thinking of this in terms of qi, everything is flowing within the body. So if you put a needle in, even if it’s far from the site that’s hurting, it can help with everything. For example, back pain can be treated with a point in the back of the knee.”

By improving overall wellness, “acupuncture is really just enhancing your body’s ability to heal,” she said.

Dr. Cheng recommended trying six to eight treatments to determine a difference in the body.

Read the full article at HealthCentral.com.

]]> Tue, 06 Sep 2022 21:32:00 -0400 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 Acupuncture During a Knee Replacement Could Lessen Post-Surgical Pain https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-during-a-knee-replacement-could-lessen-post-surgical-pain/ https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-during-a-knee-replacement-could-lessen-post-surgical-pain/477690HealthDay featuring Stephanie Cheng, MD

]]>HealthDay reports new HSS research presented at the 2021 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting by anesthesiologist Stephanie Cheng, MD, suggests that using acupuncture during the operation may help reduce that pain without raising the risk of addiction.

Dr. Cheng explained, “The opioid epidemic has been in the news and on our minds for years and has created an urgency for us to seek alternatives to postoperative pain, and acupuncture can be an attractive option.”

For the study, 41 people underwent knee replacement surgery using standard anesthesia protocol plus electroacupuncture, and found that in addition to reporting less pain, 65% of people who received acupuncture during their knee surgery took a low-dose opioid regimen of 15 pills or less or remained completely opioid-free for 30 days after their surgery. By contrast, just 9% of people who undergo knee replacement typically report such low usage.

“Patients are all interested when asked if they want to try acupuncture to help with pain. Ask your surgeon if he or she works with a trained medical acupuncturist,” Dr. Cheng added.

Read the full article at Healthday.com.

Additional coverage:

]]> Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:59:00 -0400 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 Acupuncture reduces pain and opioid usage for total knee replacement surgery patients https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-reduces-pain-and-opioid-usage-for-total-knee-replacement-surgery-patients/ https://news.hss.edu/acupuncture-reduces-pain-and-opioid-usage-for-total-knee-replacement-surgery-patients/477297HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 15th consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2024-2025), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2023-2024). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a fourth consecutive year (2023). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.

]]>Patients who have acupuncture during total knee replacement surgery report less pain and need far fewer opioids to manage their discomfort, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2021 annual meeting. Results of the study showed that 65% of patients who received acupuncture during surgery achieved a low-dose or opioid-free postoperative experience, compared to 9% of patients outside of the study.

“Total knee replacements are one of the most common operative procedures in the United States and often very painful, so there’s a great need to explore non-opioid pain relief techniques for this type of surgery,” said Stephanie Cheng, M.D., DABMA, lead author of the study and assistant attending anesthesiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and assistant professor of clinical anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, both located in New York City. “Acupuncture is extremely safe and can help reduce pain with few unwanted side effects, but it has not been well researched as part of surgical anesthesia.”

The study included 41 patients undergoing primary total knee replacement at the Hospital for Special Surgery. All patients received the institution’s standard opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic protocol, with the addition of electroacupuncture – a modified form of traditional acupuncture that applies a small electric current to thin needles that are inserted at known acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncture was administered during surgery by Dr. Cheng, who is board certified in medical acupuncture, to eight specific points in the ear to provide targeted pain relief in the knee.

With the addition of acupuncture, the majority of patients had a significant reduction in postoperative opioid use, compared to historical controls. Sixty-five percent of patients maintained a low-dose opioid regimen (15 oxycodone pills or less) from induction of anesthesia to 30 days after surgery, while 7% of patients remain completely opioid-free. Historically, only 9% of patients outside of the study maintained a low-dose or opioid-free regimen post-surgery. All patients studied discontinued opioid use after 30 days following surgery.

“Our study shows that if a trained medical acupuncturist is available to perform acupuncture in the operating room, it can help patients with postoperative pain recovery,” said Dr. Cheng. “Most studies fail to incorporate nontraditional techniques, such as acupuncture, to help decrease the dependance on opioid medications for postoperative pain control.”

In the context of the opioid epidemic, achieving low-dose perioperative opioid consumption is critical to reducing the risk of long-term opioid use in patients. With acupuncture being commonly used outside of the hospital as an effective therapy for pain management and treatment for a range of health issues and symptoms, it’s time to consider its benefits inside the hospital as well, Dr. Cheng said. “Additional research is needed to further define acupuncture’s effects and encourage its use in all aspects of disease treatment.”

 

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS
Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 54,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology. ASA is committed to ensuring physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care every patient deserves.

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq.org/madeforthismoment. Join the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2021 social conversation today. Like ASA on Facebook, follow ASALifeline on Twitter and use the hashtag #ANES21.

]]> Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:22:00 -0400 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_acupuncture-sq.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/acupuncture-sq.jpg?10000 Yes, Acupuncture May Help Relieve Joint Pain and Aid Sleep https://news.hss.edu/yes-acupuncture-may-help-relieve-joint-pain-and-aid-sleep/ https://news.hss.edu/yes-acupuncture-may-help-relieve-joint-pain-and-aid-sleep/442268MyFitnessPal featuring Elizabeth M. Manejias, MD

]]>MyFitnessPal discusses how acupuncture may help to relieve joint pain according to experts including HSS physiatrist Elizabeth M. Manejias, MD.

“There are various methods in which acupuncture is thought to exert its beneficial effects,” said Dr. Manejias. “Research has shown that it reduces the local concentration of pain-inducing chemicals around the needle insertion points.” In other words, people may feel less pain in the areas where needles are inserted. “Insertion of needles with electrical stimulation (also known as electroacupuncture) activates the central nervous system and releases chemicals such as endorphins that help patients feel better. The release of these chemicals are thought to support the body’s natural healing mechanisms,” explained Dr. Manejias.

Dr. Manejias uses acupuncture and dry needling to treat various musculoskeletal issues. “Some of the conditions that I treat and have had success with are acute injuries such as joint sprain or muscle/tendon injuries,” cited Dr. Manejias. Additionally, she uses acupuncture in patients with herniated disks and arthritis, as well as physical therapy in conjunction with acupuncture to help treat pain and injuries. That way, people can get stronger and improve the movement patterns that may have contributed to their injury, while also getting pain relief.

“There are certain conditions that you should discuss with your health care provider before initiating treatment. These include bleeding disorders, skin infections, lymphedema or pacemaker placement,” advised Dr. Manejias. People can still receive acupuncture with these conditions, but they may need modifications.

Read the full article at Myfitnesspal.com.

]]> Sun, 07 Mar 2021 08:56:00 -0500 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/500_hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/2373/hss-flat-lightblue-logo-01-201130.png?10000