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

NCT ID NCT06973785

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.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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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.

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