Freeze your pain away: new ACL surgery trick could slash opioid use

NCT ID NCT06603051

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether freezing certain nerves in the knee before ACL reconstruction surgery can help control pain afterward and reduce the need for opioid painkillers. About 20 people having ACL surgery with their own tendon will be randomly assigned to get either standard care or standard care plus a nerve-freezing treatment (cryoneurolysis) a week before surgery. Researchers will track how much pain medication they use and how well their knee feels over 12 weeks.

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)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to manage pain after ACL surgery, reducing reliance on opioids.
What could go wrong
This is a very small early trial (20 people) testing a procedure that may not reduce pain enough to make a real difference. It also carries risks like skin issues or nerve damage.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Virtua Orthopedics Burlington

    RECRUITING

    Burlington, New Jersey, 08016, United States

  • Virtua Orthopedics Cherry Hill

    RECRUITING

    Cherry Hill, New Jersey, 08034, United States

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