Can a common Anti-Inflammatory replace opioids after ACL surgery?

NCT ID NCT06973785

Ongoing Symptom relief Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study compares two pain medicines after ACL knee surgery: ketorolac (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) and oxycodone (a narcotic). Thirty patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two drugs and tracked for how many narcotic pills they need. The goal is to see if ketorolac can effectively control pain while reducing or eliminating the need for opioids.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: ketorolac (Toradol)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-narcotic pain control option after ACL surgery, reducing reliance on opioids.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 30 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Ketorolac may not control pain as well as narcotics for some patients.

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.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ACL - ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RUPTURE ACL INJURIES

Contacts and locations

Locations

Cleveland Clinic

Strongsville, Ohio, 44136, United States
Cleveland Clinic Coral Springs

Coral Springs, Florida, 33067, United States
Cleveland clinic sports medicine

Garfield, Ohio, 44125, United States

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