Could a patch replace the needle? new study tests lidocaine patch for epidural pain
NCT ID NCT07700108
First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study compares a lidocaine patch to the standard lidocaine injection for numbing the skin before an epidural needle is placed in pregnant women. The goal is to see if the patch can reduce pain and fear of needles during labor. Participants are randomly assigned to receive the patch, an injection, or both, and their pain responses are measured.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lidocaine patch 4%
- What this could lead to
- If effective, the lidocaine patch could offer a less painful alternative to numbing injections before epidural placement, reducing needle-related fear and discomfort.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial, so results may not apply broadly. The patch may not numb the skin as quickly or effectively as the injection.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 135 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Age 18 years or older Parturient women requesting neuraxial anesthesia/analgesia (epidural or combined spinal-epidural) for vaginal or cesarean delivery Ability to provide informed consent in English Exclusion Criteria: Less than 30 minutes of lidocaine patch placement prior to epidural placement Administration of opioids within 4 hours before study enrollment Intravenous magnesium sulfate administration within the previous 24 hours Diabetes mellitus (Type 1 or Type 2) Neurocardiogenic signs or symptoms (e.g., dizziness, lightheadedness, bradycardia, or syncope) during intravenous cannulation Cervical dilation greater than 6 cm (if in labor) Spinal anesthesia Chronic pain condition Opioid use disorder Intrauterine fetal demise Prisoner status
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Hospitals
RECRUITINGColumbus, Ohio, 43201, United States
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