Effect of a Multimodal Integrative Intervention on Quality of Recovery After Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Single-Center, Single-Blind, Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Despite the minimally invasive nature of laparoscopic colorectal surgery, postoperative recovery is frequently compromised by pain, fatigue, and delayed gastrointestinal function. Current rehabilitation strategies largely rely on unimodal approaches, and evidence for structured multimodal protocols is limited. This study aimed to evaluate whether a multimodal integrative intervention—comprising electroacupuncture, abdominal massage, structured breathing training, and early ambulation—improves the quality of recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for stage I–III colorectal cancer. Methods This single-center, single-blind, parallel-group, pragmatic randomized controlled trial randomized 105 patients to either a multimodal intervention or standard care. The intervention group received electroacupuncture and breathing training from postoperative day 1 to 7, with abdominal massage and supervised progressive ambulation added from postoperative day 4 to 7. The control group received standard postoperative care. The primary outcome was the trajectory of the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score assessed at postoperative days 3, 7, and 30. Statistical analyses followed a modified intention-to-treat principle. Results Of 105 randomized patients, 90 (45 per group) were included in the final analysis. A significant group-by-time interaction was observed for QoR-15 scores (P = 0.043). While no significant between-group differences were found at postoperative days 3 or 7, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher QoR-15 scores at postoperative day 30 (mean difference 11.33; 95% confidence interval 3.41 to 19.26; P = 0.005). Secondary outcomes, including pain intensity and perceived exertion, also favored the intervention group. No serious intervention-related adverse events were reported. Conclusions A multimodal integrative intervention significantly enhances the mid-to-long-term quality of recovery (at 30 days) after laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, despite no significant differences in the immediate postoperative period. These findings support the real-world effectiveness of integrating structured multimodal rehabilitation into standard perioperative care pathways. Trial Registration ChiCTR2400085191.Registered on June 3, 2024.