Pupil check could slash opioid use in heart surgery
NCT ID NCT03864016
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether monitoring the pupil's reaction to light (pupillometry) can help doctors give less opioid pain medicine during heart surgery. Fifty adults having coronary artery bypass surgery took part. The goal was to see if using pupillometry to guide pain medicine doses leads to using less sufentanil (a strong opioid) while still keeping patients comfortable and stable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pupillometry (pupil dilation reflex monitoring)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could help doctors use less opioid pain medicine during heart surgery, reducing side effects and improving recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study with only 50 participants. The results may not apply to all heart surgeries or patients, and the technique may not work as well in routine practice.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Chu Dijon Bourgogne
Dijon, 2100, France