Clinical Research Directory

iPAWS: Improving Pain Management After Wisdom Tooth Extraction Surgery

This is a clinical trial that will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a virtual brief program for adolescents and young adults undergoing wisdom tooth extraction and their parents. The program aims to teach youth safe and effective ways to manage post-surgical pain as well as decrease risky health behaviors.

Cryoanalgesia Study

This study will investigate the feasibility of cryoanalgesia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy. Cryoanalgesia is a technique that uses extremely cold temperatures to temporarily ablate nerves and block pain signals. Cryoanalgesia has been used for decades for pain control after thoracic surgery and has been associated with decreased opioid consumption, decreased pain scores, and shorter hospital stays. The results of this study may lead to a useful alternative for pain control in cardiac surgery patients.

Bridging the Healing Gap: A Single-Blind Clinical Trial Assessing the Efficacy of Carboxy-gel in Reducing Bruising and Pain Post-Liposuction

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate if CO2 Lift reduces bruising and pain after Liposuction. The study also aims to explore changes in patient satisfaction. The main questions this study seeks to answer are: * Does CO2 lift reduce the extent of bruising at 7 days post-surgery? * How does CO2 lift impact patient-reported pain and satisfaction? In this study, researchers will compare CO2 lift to a placebo (Vaseline) to see if the intervention has a positive effect. The study procedures include: * Baseline data collection of sociodemographic variables. Data collection of surgical variables, adverse events, pain scores, and satisfaction scores. * During the liposuction procedure the patient will receive CO2 Lift application to one arm, and/or one glute, and/or one half of the lower abdomen, and placebo (Vaseline) to the contralateral part. * Apply CO2 lift and Vaseline immediately after surgery, 12 hours later, and then once a day for 3 to 5 days depending of the risk of the flap/skin. * Postoperative follow-up with photos of treated areas at 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days, with bruising quantified using Image J software.

Methadone for Post-operative Spine Surgery

The goal of this prospective cohort study is to evaluate the clinical effects of post-induction methadone on perioperative pain control, opioid requirements, and recovery outcomes in adult patients undergoing elective spine surgery, with the goal of improving postoperative analgesia and enhancing recovery efficiency. The main questions it aims to answer are the perioperative pain control and opioid requirements between the two groups. Post-induction methadone can offer equivalent or improved pain control following major spine procedures and reduce intra- and postoperative opioid requirements, improve perioperative pain control and shorten PACU stay. Researchers will compare perioperative opioid use (morphine equivalents (ME), during the intraoperative and postoperative periods (PACU and 24-hour totals) between the standard intraoperative opioid regimen group and the methadone group. Patients will be randomized preoperatively to one of two groups: (both groups will receive additional multimodal pain control including opioids, not including methadone, as needed) Standard intraoperative opioid regimen (control) Methadone 0.2 mg/kg (max 20 mg) If the patient is in the methadone group, the patient will receive a predetermined dose of Methadone (0.2mg/kg) intravenously after induction (they are given medications to sleep for surgery). They will proceed with surgery, and all patients will receive standard of care management regardless of whether they receive Methadone or not. Following the surgery, all study participants will be asked at set times about their pain level and, 24 hours after the surgery, will be asked if they are satisfied with their pain management for the surgery. Data regarding their clinical progression and pain control/pain medication requirements will be collected for the duration of the hospitalization.

Prevention of Post Mastectomy With Intraoperative Ketamine

Aim 1: To determine the effectiveness of perioperatively administered ketamine to decrease acute and persistent postmastectomy pain (PPMP). Hypothesis 1.1: Patients undergoing partial or total mastectomy treated with a bolus and perioperative infusion of the NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine will have decreased postoperative pain and opioid utilization compared to those receiving saline control. Hypothesis 1.2: Patients undergoing partial or total mastectomy treated with a bolus and perioperative infusion of the NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine will have decreased persistent postoperative pain measured at one year after surgery. Aim 2: To determine whether there is increased power to detect therapeutic effectiveness in an interventional preventive trial, by enrichment with patients at high risk of PPMP. Hypothesis 2.1: Ketamine will have a greater analgesic and opioid sparing effect on pain scores in high-risk patients than non-high risk patients, compared to placebo. Hypothesis 2.2: Ketamine will have a greater preventive effect on pain burden scores at one year after surgery in high-risk patients than non-high risk patients, compared to placebo.

Artificial Intelligence Evaluation of Fascial Plane Block Quality and Postoperative Pain in Cardiac Surgery

Postoperative pain is a common and significant problem following open heart surgery. Fascial plane blocks (FPBs) such as the serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) and the pecto-intercostal fascial block (PIFB) are increasingly used as part of multimodal analgesia in cardiac surgery. However, objective assessment of block quality and its relationship with clinical outcomes remains limited in the literature. This prospective observational study evaluated the anatomical success of ultrasound-guided fascial plane blocks applied in elective open heart surgery (median sternotomy). Block images were recorded in DICOM format and scored independently and blindly on a 3-point scale by five pre-trained, publicly available large vision-language models used as independent observers via zero-shot prompting (Gemini 3.5 Flash, Claude Sonnet 4.6, ChatGPT 5.5, Grok 4.3, Kimi AI 2.6), by three experienced anaesthesiologists, and by an adjudicator. The primary analysis was the correlation between anatomical block success scores and postoperative pain (Numerical Rating Scale at rest and on coughing). Agreement between AI and human assessments, total analgesic consumption and clinical outcomes were analysed as secondary aims. Note: this registration was originally entered from a superseded version of the protocol. The current approved protocol (version dated 29 April 2026) specifies pre-trained large vision-language models rather than a bespoke convolutional neural network. The record has been corrected accordingly; see Detailed Description.

Dance Study for Post-surgical Pain in Breast Cancer Survivors

The purpose of this study is to examine how a 12-week, virtual dance program may improve pain and quality of life in participants with persistent post-surgical pain, or PPSP, following mastectomy or lumpectomy.

Intravenous Dexamethasone With Single-Shot Versus Continuous Brachial Plexus Block for Rebound Pain After Shoulder Surgery

Shoulder surgery often causes severe pain after the operation. To control this pain, doctors commonly perform a nerve block (interscalene brachial plexus block), which numbs the shoulder area. However, when the effect of a single-injection nerve block wears off, many patients experience sudden, intense pain known as "rebound pain". One way to prevent rebound pain is to place a thin catheter near the nerves so that local anesthetic can be given continuously for a longer period (continuous nerve block). However, this method is technically demanding and can cause problems such as catheter dislodgement, infection, and inconvenience for patients. Another simpler option is to give a single-injection nerve block together with an intravenous (IV) injection of dexamethasone, a steroid medication known to prolong the effect of nerve blocks and reduce rebound pain. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a single-injection nerve block combined with IV dexamethasone (5 mg) is not inferior to a continuous nerve block in preventing rebound pain after shoulder surgery. A total of 92 adult patients scheduled for elective shoulder surgery will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The main outcome is the rebound pain score, defined as the difference between the last pain score recorded in the recovery room (while the nerve block is still working) and the highest pain score reported within the first 24 hours after the nerve block. The investigators expect that the simpler single-injection method with IV dexamethasone will provide comparable pain control while avoiding the complications and inconvenience of catheter-based continuous nerve blocks.

Liposomal Bupivacaine vs Standard Bupivacaine for Post-Rhinoplasty Analgesia

The purpose of this study is to find out which pain medication is more effective in reducing pain after nose surgery (rhinoplasty). The investigators are looking to find the best treatment to reduce discomfort and improve the healing process for patients having nose surgery.

VR Effects After Hip Replacement Surgery Pain

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA), a procedure performed to enhance the quality of life, is accompanied by postoperative challenges such as pain and anxiety that adversely affect patient comfort. Inadequate management of these complications can prolong the length of hospital stay, delay recovery, lead to functional impairments, and elevate the risk of chronic pain development. Conventional pharmacological interventions employed for management are limited due to their potential for adverse effects and dependency. Virtual reality (VR) is a non-pharmacological distraction technique utilized in the healthcare sector, leveraging advanced technology to maximize patient comfort by alleviating pain and minimizing anxiety. A review of the literature reveals that while the use of VR has positive effects on pain and anxiety, there is a notable scarcity of high-quality randomized controlled trials concurrently evaluating its impact on pain, anxiety, and comfort levels in postoperative orthopedic procedures such as THA. In this randomized controlled trial, participants in the control group will receive standard care, whereas those in the experimental group will receive a 30-minute VR intervention-offering three distinct options-in addition to standard care during the acute phase of the first 48 hours. Postoperative assessments will be conducted using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the State Anxiety Inventory for anxiety levels, and the Perianesthesia Comfort Scale for comfort levels. By evaluating the potential of VR as a non-pharmacological adjuvant in post-THA care, the findings of this study will provide significant contributions to evidence-based nursing practices aimed at developing multimodal pain management strategies, reducing opioid consumption, and enhancing patient satisfaction.

Analgesic Efficacy of Quadratus Lumborum vs. Transversalis Fascia Block in Inguinal Hernia Surgery

It is planned to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of the Transversalis Fascia Plane Block and the anterior Quadratus Lumborum Block in elective inguinal hernia surgeries.

TAP Blocks With Ropivacaine Continuous Infusion Catheters vs Single Dose Liposomal Bupivicaine After Kidney Transplant

This study is a comparison of the analgesic efficacy of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks with ropivacaine bolus plus continuous ropivacaine infusion via catheters versus single shot TAP blocks with liposomal bupivacaine.

Bupivacaine Hydrochloride for Pain Control in Cutaneous Surgery

The purpose of this study is to determine if the addition of bupivacaine HCl injections will improve pain control after skin surgery. This is a randomized clinical trial. Approximately 100 participants will be randomized to receive either bupivacaine HCl or saline injections to help with the postsurgical pain. Patients will be provided with a take-home journal to complete indicating when and how much pain medication they required for the 3 days immediately following surgery. Participants will return the journal in-person at a follow up visit 7-21 days post-op. This study was a pilot study designed to determine the feasibility of this procedure. Subjects currently living in the Chicago metropolitan area and meet inclusion/exclusion criteria will be invited and considered for enrollment.

Optimizing Patient-centred Outcomes Using Opioid Minimization Strategies: The OPUS Anesthesia Pilot Trial

Up to 40% of patients experience suboptimal recovery in the days following major surgery, limiting their return to functional independence. Few preventive interventions exist, but intravenous dexmedetomidine and lidocaine administered during general anesthesia represent simple strategies that may significantly impact recovery and other patient-centred outcomes after surgery. The goal of this pilot trial is to determine the feasibility of conducting a phase 3 pragmatic adaptive multicentre trial to evaluate the impact of dexmedetomidine and lidocaine administered during major non-cardiac surgery on patient-centred outcomes.

Saphenous Nerve Block After Tibial Plateau ORIF

Fractures of the tibial plateau, while very painful, typically do not receive nerve blocks. This is because of a concern that the numbness from a nerve block would "mask" the typically painful symptoms of compartment syndrome, a condition that can lead to a permanent loss of function of the injured limb. Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of saphenous nerve block for pain management after surgical repair of a tibial plateau fracture. Based on cadaver studies and our clinical experience, we suspect that the saphenous nerve contributes to pain sensations of the tibial plateau and will not mask the pain from a compartment syndrome. In summary, while saphenous nerve block represents a safe option after tibial plateau open reduction internal fixation (ORIF), we aim to evaluate its effectiveness in this patient population.

Randomized Control Trial, Cryoablation as an Adjunct to Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures

To determine if patients with intraoperative cryoablation have better analgesia results compared to the control group of Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures (SSRF) without cryoablation

Screen Addiction and Postoperative Pain

Excessive or problematic smartphone use has become increasingly common and has been associated with various psychological and physical health consequences, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, reduced sleep quality, musculoskeletal pain, and heightened pain perception. Postoperative pain is influenced not only by surgical trauma but also by individual psychological and behavioral characteristics. This prospective observational study aims to investigate whether smartphone addiction levels influence postoperative pain scores and analgesic consumption in patients undergoing elective rhinoplasty surgery.

Liposomal Bupivacaine Plus Plain Bupivacaine Versus Dexamethasone Plus Plain Bupivacaine in the Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block in Patients With Risk Factors for Severe Acute Postoperative Pain

The supraclavicular brachial plexus block (BPB) is a frequently used anaesthetic method for upper limb surgeries, including distal radial fracture surgery. Adding liposomal bupivacaine to BPB has shown promise in enhancing postoperative pain control. A previous randomized controlled trial demonstrated that it reduced pain scores and OBAS compared to plain bupivacaine alone, especially on postoperative day (POD) 1. Adding adjuncts to non-liposomal local anaesthetics can also enhance and prolong postoperative pain relief. The effectiveness of liposomal bupivacaine compared to adjuncts like dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine remains unclear. Since liposomal bupivacaine is more expensive, it is crucial to compare its analgesic efficacy with these alternatives. A randomized controlled trial comparing liposomal bupivacaine versus dexamethasone in the interscalene BPB for shoulder surgery found that liposomal bupivacaine resulted in statistically significantly lower pain scores and less pain interference in the Brief Pain Inventory, although the reduction was not considered clinically relevant. Its high cost may therefore limit its routine use unless specific clinical contexts where its efficacy is maximized are identified. Notably, patients with risk factors like psychological factors, preoperative pain, and prior analgesic use may benefit most from its application. A randomized controlled trial to compare the analgesic efficacy of liposomal bupivacaine plus plain bupivacaine versus dexamethasone plus plain bupivacaine in supraclavicular BPB for patients at higher risk of poor acute pain control post distal radial fracture surgery will be conducted. Patients with severe preoperative pain, opioid use, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and/or higher energy and high-grade fracture cases will be selected. The primary outcome measured is the intensity of acute postoperative pain with movement in the first 48 hours after surgery. Important secondary outcomes include pain intensity at rest, opioid consumption, OBAS scores, chronic pain, and upper limb functionality.

Postoperative Pain of Robotic, Endoscopic and Open Lateral Neck Dissection

Postoperative pain is a good indicator to confirm the advantages of the surgical methods in the era of minimally invasive surgery. Lateral neck dissection requires extensive dissection which may leads to postoperative numbness and pain. Robotic thyroid surgery has the advantage of precise and careful dissection and avoid the L-shape incision in the open approach. The study aims to explore the pain intensity and severity of lateral neck dissection on operation day, postoperative month 1 and postoperative month 3 among the robotic, endoscopic and open approach.

Reducing Opioid Use and Misuse After Wisdom Molar Extractions

Reducing opioid prescription related use and misuse is a major focus for countering the national epidemic of opioid overdose and death. Annually, over 3.5 million predominantly young and healthy individuals undergo outpatient third molar ('wisdom tooth') tooth extractions under sedation and routinely receive postoperative opioid prescriptions. This procedure is among the most prevalent instances of opioid prescriptions dispensed to adolescents, a vulnerable population. This overuse can be minimized by bringing about immediate and sustained pain relief following extractions and by proper monitoring to regulate post-operative opioid usage. The investigators developed the Twin block, a local anesthetic nerve block that rapidly eases pain from the 'closer' muscles of the jaw and showed its long-term effectiveness in patients with chronic jaw muscle pain. Administering the Twin block immediately following third molar extractions will be an innovative and effective modality to alleviate acute post-procedure pain experienced by the patient and hence reduce the need for post-operative opioid pain medication. In order to tightly regulate when, how many and to whom the prescribed opioid pill is accessible, this study will utilize the iPill Dispenser®, an active pill dispenser. The iPill device, designated as a Class I 510(k) exempt device by the FDA, includes an App that utilizes biometric user authentication to operate a portable tamper-resistant, pre-calibrated device to regulate, deliver, and monitor opioid usage for pain, preventing overconsumption and diversion. The investigators further plan to 'track' pill swallowing by encapsulating the medication with an ingestible event marker (IEMs, FDA approved Class II device). The hypothesis of this study is that reduction in opioid prescription and its unwarranted use following third molar extractions can be achieved by a combination of Twin block, an active pill dispenser and ingestion tracking. The Specific Aims are: Specific Aim 1. Compare highest pain after third molar tooth extractions, in patients with and without the twin block. Specific Aim 2. Compare postoperative opioid consumption during the first 4 days following third molar tooth extractions between patients who got the twin block, with those who do not. Using the iPill dispenser and app and the IEM, the investigators will track opioid consumption for severe pain.

Prevention of Persistent Pain With LidocAine iNfusions in Breast Cancer Surgery (PLAN)

Phase III, international multicentre, parallel group, blinded, 1:1 randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of an intraoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on reducing the development of persistent pain 3-months after breast cancer surgery.

Non-Dressing vs. Routine Dressing Change After Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery

The goal of this randomized non-inferiority trial is to evaluate whether omitting postoperative wound dressings is noninferior to routine dressing changes in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Is omitting dressings noninferior to routine dressing changes in preventing a composite of wound complications requiring clinical intervention? 2. Can omitting dressings reduce postoperative pain and eliminate dressing-related costs? Participants diagnosed with gastrointestinal tumors undergoing elective surgery will be randomly assigned to either the non-dressing group or the routine dressing group. The non-dressing group will have their initial dressing removed at 48 hours postoperatively, with no further coverage or disinfection unless clinically indicated. The dressing group will receive standardized dressing changes every 48 hours until suture removal at 7-14 days. Researchers will compare the two groups regarding the rate of wound complications, pain scores, and total dressing-related costs. This study aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for minimalist postoperative wound care, potentially improving patient comfort and reducing unnecessary medical expenses.

Patient Controlled Administration of Liquid Acetaminophen

This is a proof of concept pilot study investigating the feasibility and acceptability of patient controlled oral medication administration, using the commonly used and low risk medication in the hospital, oral acetaminophen.

Analgesic Efficacy of Surgeon-administered Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks for Caesarean Section.

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate whether or not adding a Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (TAP block) improves pain control for patients having a cesarean section. A TAP block is a type of nerve block where at the end of the surgery an injection of a long acting local anesthetic is made into the abdominal wall. In studies in patient's having other abdominal surgeries this has reduced the amount of narcotics patients need for pain control. This may also led to patients being more active after surgery and maybe spending less time in hospital.