Which painkiller-free method works best for teens after chest surgery?
NCT ID NCT04211935
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study compares three pain management techniques for teenagers undergoing minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (a sunken chest). The methods are: patient-controlled analgesia (PCA, where the patient pushes a button for pain medicine), erector spinae block (a nerve block with a continuous infusion pump), and intercostal nerve cryoablation (freezing nerves to reduce pain). The goal is to see which approach leads to the shortest hospital stay, least opioid use, and best pain control. About 158 participants aged 12–21 will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- nerve freezing (cryoablation), nerve block (erector spinae block), and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could identify the most effective pain control method for teens recovering from pectus excavatum surgery, potentially reducing opioid use and hospital stays.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-center trial with 158 participants, so results may not apply to all hospitals or patients. Each method has its own risks, such as infection or nerve damage, and the study is not designed to prove long-term benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
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
Show contact details
Enter your email to view the contact information for this study.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Locations
-
Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- A common painkiller may help cut opioid use after major surgery — a large trial puts it to the test
- Could a CO2 gel heal liposuction bruises faster?
- Ketamine during breast cancer surgery may stop chronic pain before it starts
- Nerve block showdown: which technique cuts opioid use after chest surgery?
- Could a simple steroid injection replace a catheter for shoulder surgery pain?
- Absorbable chest scaffold aims to reshape sunken sternum without metal