A common painkiller may help cut opioid use after major surgery — a large trial puts it to the test

NCT ID NCT07720791

First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether adding oral acetaminophen to standard pain management can reduce the need for opioid painkillers after major abdominal surgery. About 1500 adults scheduled for non-cardiac abdominal surgery will receive either acetaminophen or a placebo tablet before surgery and every six hours for two days afterward. Researchers will measure total opioid use, pain scores, and patient satisfaction to see if acetaminophen offers a real benefit beyond placebo.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
acetaminophen (paracetamol) tablets
What this could lead to
If it works, this could confirm that a simple, widely available painkiller can meaningfully reduce opioid use after major abdominal surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a single-center trial, and the benefit of acetaminophen over placebo may be small or absent in the context of modern standard pain management.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

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  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

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