Freezing pain away: new hope for rib fracture sufferers?
NCT ID NCT05865327
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests a procedure called cryoneurolysis, which uses a tiny freezing tool to temporarily numb the nerves around broken ribs. The goal is to see if it's practical to run a larger study comparing this technique plus standard pain care to standard care alone. Twenty-four adults with 3 to 8 broken ribs on one side will be enrolled and followed for 3 months to track pain levels and medication use.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cryoneurolysis (nerve freezing procedure)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could point toward a better way to manage severe pain from broken ribs, reducing complications and long-term pain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study (24 people) testing only if a larger trial is possible. It is not designed to prove the treatment works, and nerve freezing carries risks like temporary numbness or muscle weakness.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
RECRUITINGToronto, Ontario, M4N3M5, Canada
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