Can a tiny electric zing prevent opioid breathing trouble?

NCT ID NCT06823661

First seen Jun 12, 2026

Summary

After surgery, painkillers can slow breathing. This study tested a device that uses a mild electrical pulse on the skin to wake patients when their breathing stops for 10 seconds. Researchers enrolled 60 adults recovering from surgery to see if the system is practical and acceptable. The goal is to make recovery safer without relying on nurses to manually stimulate patients.

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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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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Toronto General Hospital

    Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 1R6, Canada

  • Toronto General Hospital

    Toronto, Canada

What this could mean

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

Active substance

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device

What this could lead to

If this system works, it could offer a simple, automated way to prevent breathing problems after surgery, making recovery safer.

What could go wrong

This is a small pilot study testing feasibility, not effectiveness. The device may not reliably detect or correct apnea, and results may not apply to all patients.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

respiratory failure

As listed by the trial registrant

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