Clinical Trials

We research innovative treatment options to address pain. Clinical trials are available for qualified patients.

Pain management for patients with multiple rib fractures

Rib fractures are a common injury of trauma patients and can cause significant pain which, if inadequately treated, can lead to impaired breathing, lung collapse and respiratory failure. Therefore, it is crucial to manage pain associated with rib fractures.

Currently, epidurals are used to treat pain, but placement can be risky as rib fractures are often associated with other injuries and complications. An alternative pain management option is the ON-Q® Pain Relief System, an FDA-approved device that automatically and continuously delivers medication to the region of the thoracic intercostal nerves. This study compares subjects that are randomized to an epidural analgesia group or the ON-Q® Pain Relief System group, as well as evaluates outcomes of both options including pain relief and length of hospital stay.

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Pain management for patients following uterine fibroid embolization (UFE)

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that occur in the wall of the uterus. Approximately 20% to 40% of women 20 years and older will develop one or more tumors before reaching menopause. Though common, non-treatment can lead to problems such as irregular or prolonged menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain or pressure, lower back pain, constipation, frequent urination or painful intercourse. In the past, treatment of fibroids has been limited to surgery, either hysterectomy or removal of the fibroid.

Over the last several years, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), also called uterine artery embolization, has emerged as a safe and highly effective treatment for uterine fibroids and an alternative to hysterectomy. Options for pain control post procedure vary depending on the physician and the severity of the pain. A patient may receive either epidural analgesia or patient-controlled analgesia following UFE. This study collects information on the efficacy of these two pain management options through a questionnaire that asks patients to rate their pain.

Pain management for children ages 7 to 16 (inclusive) who require continuous opioid analgesia for moderate to severe pain

Butrans® (Buprenorphine) Transdermal System (BTDS) has been recently approved by the FDA for the management of persistent moderate to severe chronic pain in adult patients requiring a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic for an extended period of time. BTDS is approved in the United States for use in adult patients in three dose strengths, respectively, continuously for seven days. BTDS has not been approved by the FDA for pediatric use.

Pharmacokinetic, safety and efficacy information is required in order to provide appropriate treatment guidance for pediatric patients. This open-label (drug and drug dosage known), multi-center study (multiple institutions are recruiting for this study) evaluates the three dose strengths currently approved for adults. In addition, one lower dose will be introduced to expand the dose range for pediatric patients.

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Pain management for patients with post-traumatic peripheral neuropathic pain

This study is designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of taking pregabalin (Lyrica®) twice a day in treating chronic nerve pain resulting from peripheral nerve trauma. There is currently no FDA-approved treatment for post-traumatic neuropathic pain. This trauma must be due to a traumatic or surgical event such as a motor vehicle accident, fall, sports injury, knee or hip replacement, hernia repair, thoracotomy, mastectomy, focal/localized burns or crush injury.

Learn more about this clinical trialPain management for patients following an elective abdominal surgery

Optimal analgesia following abdominal surgery has yet to be determined and continues to be a subject of active clinical investigation. Particularly for procedures requiring abdominal incisions, inadequate control of postoperative pain can lead to complications and prolonged hospital stays.

Currently, there are three modes of postoperative analgesia for abdominal surgery in use:

• Intravenous opiates
• Continuous epidural infusions (local anesthetic and low-dose opiate)
• Transversus abdominal plane (TAP) block, either single shot or continuous infusion

The TAP block is an analgesic technique that has become increasing popular over the last decade and involves the infiltration of local anesthetic in the plane between the internal oblique and transverses abdominus muscles. This randomized controlled study (a participant is randomly enrolled in a certain part of the study) compares outcomes between patients randomized to the TAP block group and the epidural analgesia group.