Clinical Research Directory

Infusion of Lidocaine and Steroids in Middle Meningeal Artery for Pain in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an infusion of lidocaine, with or without steroids, into the middle meningeal artery (MMA) helps relieve severe headaches in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). It will also study the safety of this treatment.

Aromatherapy in Total Knee Replacement

The purpose of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on postoperative anxiety and pain in total knee replacement patients. The primary research questions are: Does Lavender-Peppermint Aromatherapy reduce post operative anxiety in patients after primary total knee replacement when compared to placebo? Does Lavender-Peppermint Aromatherapy reduce post operative pain in patient after primary total knee replacement when compared to placebo? Participants will be assigned to one of the following groups at random: * Intervention: Aromatherapy with the lavender-peppermint scent * Control: Aromatherapy with the almond oil scent Participants will also be asked to complete pre- and post-operative questionnaires. Researchers will compare both groups (intervention vs control) to see if aromatherapy reduces post-operative anxiety and/or pain.

Rural Expanded Access to OUD Care & Linkage Using Toxicologists for Telehealth Initiated Treatment

The overarching goal of this project is to increase the availability of OUD treatment in rural counties in the state of Georgia by using Emergency Department (ED)-based telehealth strategies to initiate MOUD and connect patients to treatment. The investigators will implement a novel collaboration between rural EDs, medical toxicologists at the Georgia Poison Center (GPC), peer recovery coaches (PRCs) and RCOs throughout Georgia to bridge the gap between OUD treatment need in rural EDs and specialty physician availability at the GPC. Research activities will be conducted during two broad phases, at three rural EDs in Georgia: planning and implementation. During the planning phase, aggregate data will be obtained to determine each ED's existing practices treating patients with OUD and opioid withdrawal. During the implementation phase, the researchers will prospectively study a poison center OUD consultation and PRC intervention as it is rolled out at each site, collecting participant-level data. Sites will be rolled into the implementation phase in a stepped-wedge fashion, so there will be times when some sites are in the planning phase while others are in the implementation phase.

Evaluation of Neuroinflammation FNOS PET/CT in HIV (+) and (-) Subjects With OUD and Healthy Controls

The purpose of this research is to measure the extent of inflammation in the brain between different groups of participants using a radioactive tracer called \[18F\]NOS. A radioactive tracer is a type of imaging drug that is labeled with a radioactive tag and injected into the body. This study will see how the tracer is taken up in the brain using an imaging scan called Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography (PET/CT). Participants will undergo approximately 60 minutes of dynamic scanning of the brain starting at approximately the time of injection of \[18F\]NOS. Participants are required to have a brain MRI performed within 1 year prior to study enrollment, or if the subject has not had a brain MRI that is deemed acceptable for use for this study they will be asked to undergo a research brain MRI after they have consented for this study.

VibraCool Device to Reduce Pain and Opioid Use After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR)

The goal of this project is to test the effects of the VibraCool mechanical stimulation neuromodulatory therapeutic device on post-operative pain and opioid use following anterior crucitate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), and thus residual opioids in circulation.

Nonopioid Pain Control Regimen After Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Traumatic Fractures

An open reduction and internal fixation is a painful procedure requiring intensive postoperative pain management. Traditionally, opioid analgesia has been the gold standard for postoperative pain control. However, given the harmful side effect profile and opioid epidemic in the United States, it is advantageous to use alternate forms of analgesia. Multimodal pain control captures the effectiveness of different analgesic modalities and maximizes analgesia while minimizing side effects. The theory behind their use is that agents with different mechanisms of action work synergistically in preventing acute pain. Objective: To measure postoperative pain control in patients in two treatment arms of ORIF of the clavicle: a treatment group given a nonopioid pain control regimen, and a standard of care control group given standard opioid pain control regimen. Study Design: A randomized single blinded standard of care controlled clinical trial comparing pain management interventions. All adult patients scheduled for an ORIF following a traumatic fracture by fellowship trained Trauma surgeons will be eligible for inclusion. Patients will be excluded if their medical history presents known allergies or intolerance to Motrin, Lyrica, Tylenol, Zanaflex, substantial alcohol or drug abuse, and pregnancy, history of narcotics within 6 months of surgery, renal impairment, peptic ulcer disease, GI bleeding. On the day of surgery, patients will be randomized to receive a nonopioid pain control regimen or an opioid regimen using a computer-generated sequence. If pain is uncontrolled, patients will also be sent home with a prescription with 10 pills of 5 mg of Oxycodone for breakthrough pain. The amount of oxycodone taken will be recorded. Patients can call the resident on call, available 24-hours per day, if additional pain control is needed. Treatment: All patients will undergo previously scheduled ORIF of the clavicle in standard fashion and be randomized to the non-narcotic pain regimen vs the narcotic pain regimen.

Facilitating Opioid Care Connections

In response to the opioid crisis in New York State (NYS), where the propose project will take place, the Unified Court System (UCS) developed a new treatment court model - the opioid court model (OCM) - designed around 10 practice guidelines to address the flaws of existing drug courts and reduce overdose (OD), opioid use disorder (OUD), and recidivism via rapid screening and linkage to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). In 2018, NYS began to expand the OCM across NYS. Yet, given the innovation of the OCM, the exact barriers to implementation in disparate counties with a range of resources - and the strategies to overcome them - are largely unknown. The research team proposes to integrate evidence-based implementation strategies to refine and evaluate the Opioid Court Model Rigorous Implementation Science for Effectiveness (OCM RISE) intervention, an implementation intervention that will allow the OCM, as framed by the 10 practice guidelines, to be scaled up across NYS.

Dexmedetomidine and Ketamine in VATS Surgery

Postoperative pain after VATS surgery is significant and associated with moderate to high post operative morphine requirements, which can cause opioid related side effects and delay postoperative recovery. To reduce this requirement, multimodal analgesia with non opioid medication such as dexmedetomidine and ketamine can be used. These drugs have demonstrated significant opioid-sparing properties after various types of surgeries. However, very little is known about their ability to do so in VATS surgery. Also, their relative opioid-sparing properties have not been compared, and it is not known whether their combined use can lead to an additional opioid-sparing effect. The primary goal of this study will be to determine the impact of a combined intra operative infusion of ketamine and dexmedetomidine on postoperative morphine requirements in patients undergoing elective VATS, compared to both these drugs infused separately. The hypothesis is that this combined infusion will lead to a 30% further reduction in morphine requirements, 24h after surgery, compared to both these drugs infused separately.

Postsurgical Pain and Opioid Use in Older Adults: Effects of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects a substantial proportion of older adults undergoing major surgery and may alter pain processing, pain experience, and opioid use after surgery. This prospective observational cohort study will compare older adults with MCI and cognitively intact older adults undergoing major orthopedic and complex spine procedures. Participants will undergo preoperative assessment of cognitive function, quantitative sensory testing, heart rate variability, clinical pain, and biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease risk. Postoperative pain trajectories, opioid use, pain responsiveness, and cognitive outcomes will be evaluated for six months following surgery. The study aims to determine whether MCI is associated with differences in postoperative pain and opioid use outcomes and whether APOE4 status and plasma amyloid beta 42/40 ratio contribute to observed differences.

Quadro-Iliac Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to learn whether an ultrasound-guided quadro-iliac plane block (QIPB) reduces opioid use and pain after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in adults aged 18-65 years. The main question it aims to answer is: does QIPB reduce total tramadol consumption during the first 24 postoperative hours? Researchers will compare patients who receive QIPB under general anesthesia with patients who receive no block. All participants will receive the same general anesthesia, multimodal analgesia and intravenous tramadol patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Pain scores, PCA use, quality of recovery (QoR-15), nausea and vomiting, and time to discharge will be recorded during the first 24 hours.

Mindfulness in Fracture Recovery and Reduction of Opioid Reliance: Evaluating the Feasibility of Implementing a Brief, Mindfulness-based Intervention to Manage Pain and Anxiety Before and After Fracture Surgery

Breaking a bone is not only physically painful but also emotionally overwhelming. Patients often experience intense pain, anxiety, and uncertainty as they are rushed to hospital, undergo emergency treatment, and prepare for surgery. After surgery, many continue to struggle with pain and rely on opioid medications, which carry serious risks including addiction. In the context of our current opioid epidemic, it's critical that alternative treatment strategies are urgently evaluated. Mindfulness is a practice that helps people focus on the present and has been shown to reduce stress and pain in other settings. In this trial, patients with broken arms or legs who need surgery at Hamilton General Hospital will be randomly assigned to one of two groups who will listen to a two-part, audio recording before and after surgery. Those in the interventional group will engage in a 7-minute audio-guided mindfulness exercise before surgery to help reduce anxiety, and another 7-minute audio-guided mindfulness exercise after surgery to help manage pain. Those in the control group will listen to a 7-minute educational audio recording before surgery and again after surgery. The main goal is to see if this approach is practical-can enough patients be recruited, and will they complete the audio recordings? The study will also look at early signs of whether the intervention helps reduce pain, anxiety, and opioid use six weeks after surgery. If feasible, a larger study can be conducted to determine if these exercises can help patients manage pain and reduce their need for opioids after surgery. If successful, this simple, low-cost approach could be widely used in hospitals to support recovery and reduce reliance on pain medications.

Machine-Learning Prediction and Reducing Overdoses With EHR Nudges

The goal of this cluster randomized clinical trial is to test a clinician-targeted behavioral nudge intervention in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) for patients who are identified by a machine-learning based risk prediction model as having an elevated risk for an opioid overdose. The clinical trial will evaluate the effectiveness of providing a flag in the EHR to identify individuals at elevated risk with and without behavioral nudges/best practice alerts (BPAs) as compared to usual care by primary care clinicians. The primary goals of the study are to improve opioid prescribing safety and reduce overdose risk.

How Does the Addition of Adductor Canal Block to Local Infiltration Affect Recovery in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty? A Feasibility Study.

The use of periarticular injection and adductor canal block are well-established techniques used both in combination or in isolation in the management of postoperative pain for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. The aim of this study is to investigate whether combining these two techniques have an added benefit, compared to periarticular injection alone, with respect to quality of recovery, functional return, discharge readiness, and short and long term post-operative narcotic use.

Paracervical Injection and Opioid Use After Vaginal Hysterectomy for Prolapse

The goal of the study to see if giving a numbing medicine around the cervix (called a paracervical block) during vaginal hysterectomy with prolapse repair helps people feel less pain and need fewer strong pain medicines afterward. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does receiving a paracervical block at the time of vaginal hysterectomy with prolapse repair reduce postoperative opioid use? Researchers will compare opioid use in participants who receive the an injected numbing medicine (bupivacaine with lidocaine) to those that receive a saltwater liquid placebo. Participants will: * Receive either an injection of the numbing medicine (bupivacaine with lidocaine) or saltwater liquid placebo after they are asleep but before any other parts of the surgery are done * Record and report pain medications used for 7 days after surgery * Report pain scores before discharge from the post anesthesia recovery area on day of surgery as well as 1 and 7 days after surgery * Complete a surgical recovery questionnaire during 6 week postoperative visit * Complete a one page multiple-choice test on pelvic organ prolapse

SPSIP Block Versus ESP Block for Chronic Pain After Unilateral Breast Surgery

This prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded study will compare serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block and erector spinae plane block in adult female patients undergoing unilateral breast surgery. The primary outcome is chronic postoperative pain at 3 months, assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form.

Serratus vs ESP Block for Postoperative Pain in Unilateral Breast Surgery

This prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded trial compares serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block (SPSIPB) and erector spinae plane block (ESPB) for postoperative analgesia in unilateral breast surgery. 54 patients will be randomized to receive either SPSIPB or ESPB before general anesthesia. The primary outcome is postoperative pain scores within the first 24 hours. The secondary outcome is opioid consumption.

Encouraging Abstinence Behavior in a Drug Epidemic: Optimizing Dynamic Incentives

Combatting the rise of the opioid epidemic is a central challenge of U.S. health care policy. A promising approach for improving welfare and decreasing medical costs of people with substance abuse disorders is offering incentive payments for healthy behaviors. This approach, broadly known as "contingency management" in the medical literature, has repeatedly shown to be effective in treating substance abuse. However, the use of incentives by treatment facilities remains extremely low. Furthermore, it is not well understood how to design optimal incentives to treat opioid abuse. This project will conduct a randomized evaluation of two types of dynamically adjusting incentive schedules for people with opioid use disorders or cocaine use disorders: "escalating" schedules where incentive amounts increase with success to increase incentive power, and "de-escalating" schedules where incentive amounts decrease with success to improve incentive targeting. Both schemes are implemented with a novel "turnkey" mobile application, making them uniquely low-cost, low-hassle, and scalable. Effects will be measured on abstinence outcomes, including longest duration of abstinence and the percentage of negative drug tests. In combination with survey data, variation from the experiment will shed light on the barriers to abstinence more broadly and inform the understanding of optimal incentive design.

rTMS as Add on Treatment for Substance Use Disorders

This pilot study is designed to test feasibility and superiority of rTMS types and target locations for the optimal rTMS intervention for individuals seeking treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) or Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The critical questions this study seeks to answer are: which rTMS type applied to l-dlPFC in OUD participants will induce the greatest reduction of opioid use post-treatment? Is inhibitory rTMS applied to medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) more effective than excitatory rTMS applied to l-dlPFC at reducing alcohol use post treatment in AUD participants?

Evaluation of the Safety and Effects of Psychoactive Substances in People With Past Opioid Use

The purpose of this study is to understand how kratom affects people. In this study, kratom will be compared with another substance and a placebo (an inactive substance). Researchers will also study how the substances move through and affect the body. This includes examining how the body absorbs, processes, and eliminates the drug (pharmacokinetics), as well as how the drug affects the body and how it may make you feel (pharmacodynamics). The information collected will help researchers better understand the effects and potential risks of kratom.

Efficacy of Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Block in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

This will be a prospective, double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. There will be two arms of treatment: intervention and control group. Preoperatively patients will be allocated at random to receive ultrasound guided bilateral ESP block either with the local anesthetic (intervention group) normal saline (control group). The aim of this study is to examine the effect of ESP block to increase the Quality of Recovery (measured via QoR-15 total score) and decrease opioid consumption.

A Prospective Randomized Double Blind Trial to Assess the Effect of a Single Preoperative Dose of Gabapentin on Postoperative Opioid Consumption in Patients Undergoing Rhinoplasty

Adding a single preoperative dose of gabapentin to the standard pain regimen will reduce postoperative opioid consumption within the first 72 hours in patients undergoing rhinoplasty.

Affective Effects of Pre-surgery Opioids: a Randomized, Doubleblind Placebo-controlled Trial

1. To investigate and compare the affective short-term effects of opioid drugs: morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl, administered to the patients before the induction of general anesthesia. 2. Charting opioid use after surgery in patients treated at hospitals in Norway 3. Identify predictors for postoperative opioid use and persistent pain

Healing After Injury to Reduce Opioid Use and Pain Through Preventive Engagement - Open Trial

The goal of this project is to refine the adaptive psychological intervention and assess initial feasibility and acceptability. Results will be used to inform a pilot randomized trial.

Effects of Erector Spinae Plane Block and Paravertebral Block on Early Postoperative Pulmonary Function Test Parameters

The pain experienced by participants after minimally invasive chest surgery (VATS) can make it difficult for them to take deep breaths, which can lead to problems with lung function. This can cause serious problems such as lung collapse, low oxygen levels, and infections, making recovery longer and more difficult. Managing pain well after surgery is important to prevent these problems and speed up recovery. In this study, we aimed to compare two pain relief methods, Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESP) and Paravertebral Block (PVB), in participants who underwent VATS. We will look at which method causes the smallest change in lung function before and after surgery.