Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

This study is testing whether using inhaled sedatives (gases breathed in) can reduce severe confusion in children who need breathing machines in intensive care, compared to standard IV sedatives. Researchers will enroll 60 children aged 1 month to 18 years who require mechanical …

This study is testing whether a shorter course of radiation (2 treatments) works as well as the standard 5-treatment regimen for men with low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The main goal is to see if the shorter treatment better preserves sexual quality of life while still…

This study is testing a different way of giving a common chemotherapy drug (temozolomide) to elderly patients with a specific, hard-to-treat type of brain cancer called glioblastoma. The goal is to see if giving the drug on a modified schedule can help slow the cancer's growth an…

This study follows patients for at least three years after they receive a focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor that hasn't responded to medication. Researchers want to see if the tremor reduction lasts and how it affects patients' quality of life and neurological hea…

This study is testing whether adding an extra, focused dose of radiation to standard spine radiation treatment works better for controlling cancer that has spread to the spine. It aims to see if this 'boost' helps keep the tumor under control for longer, reduces pain, and causes …

This study compares two common procedures for treating severely clogged heart arteries in people whose hearts pump weakly. Researchers will follow 754 patients for about 5 years to see whether open-heart bypass surgery or less-invasive artery stenting leads to fewer deaths, strok…

This early-stage study is testing whether a special helmet that uses focused ultrasound can safely and temporarily open the blood-brain barrier in adults with glioblastoma. The goal is to help standard chemotherapy drugs reach the brain tumor more effectively. Researchers will en…

This study is testing whether using a genetic test to choose between two blood-thinning medications (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) works better than the standard approach for preventing another stroke. It involves 100 adults who recently had a stroke or mini-stroke caused by narrowe…

This study is testing a new way to treat large brain tumors that have spread from other cancers. Doctors are combining two different radiation machines over several sessions, with a break in between, hoping to target the tumor more precisely. The goal is to better control the can…

This large hospital trial is testing different treatment strategies for serious bloodstream infections caused by certain bacteria. It will enroll 2,500 patients across Canada to compare approaches like when to switch antibiotics, which oral antibiotics work best, and whether to r…

This early-stage trial is testing whether a special ultrasound helmet can safely and temporarily open the brain's protective barrier. The goal is to help deliver an immune therapy (IVIg) directly to the brain areas affected by ALS. Six participants will receive the therapy, with …

This study is testing a more precise way to deliver radiation therapy to people with aggressive brain tumors called glioblastoma. Using a special machine that combines MRI scanning with radiation delivery, doctors can adjust the treatment daily to target the tumor more accurately…

This study is testing whether a combination of targeted radiation to the brain and/or spine, followed by a three-drug therapy, is safe and effective for people with an aggressive form of advanced breast cancer that has spread to the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It…

This study is testing if a combination of two treatments works better than the current standard for a serious complication called osteoradionecrosis (ORN), which is jawbone death that can happen after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. It will compare standard hyperbaric…

This study aims to find out how often breast cancer spreads to the brain without causing symptoms in patients with aggressive forms of the disease. Researchers will use MRI brain scans, blood tests, and questionnaires with 100 participants who have specific types of stage IIb or …

This study is testing whether very small doses of an epilepsy medication called levetiracetam can calm down overactive brain signals in people at risk for Alzheimer's disease. It involves 40 adults with a family history of Alzheimer's who have memory concerns but normal test scor…

This study aims to find out which of two common surgical skin cleaning solutions works better to prevent infections after hip or knee revision surgery. It will compare chlorhexidine-alcohol solution to povidone-iodine solution in 400 patients. The main goal is to see which soluti…

This study is testing a program designed to prevent delirium, a common and serious state of confusion after surgery in older adults. Researchers will first test patients' memory before surgery to identify those at highest risk. Those patients and their care teams will then receiv…

This study is testing whether a sedative drug called dexmedetomidine can prevent long-term memory and thinking problems that sometimes occur after heart surgery. It will involve 2,400 patients aged 60 and older who are having planned heart surgery. Researchers will compare the dr…

This small pilot study is testing whether a procedure that freezes the nerves around broken ribs can provide better, longer-lasting pain relief than current standard treatments alone. The study will recruit 24 adults with 3 to 8 broken ribs on one side of their body. Researchers …

This study is testing whether watching a short virtual reality video can help reduce anxiety in people about to undergo a specialized, non-invasive brain treatment for severe hand tremors. Researchers will compare anxiety levels in 60 patients who watch one of two different VR vi…

This study is testing whether a combination of a stimulant medication (methylphenidate) and a non-invasive brain stimulation technique can help reduce apathy in people with Alzheimer's disease or mixed dementia. The treatment aims to improve motivation and engagement. Researchers…

This small pilot study is exploring whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can help people suffering from Long COVID. Participants with persistent symptoms like fatigue and 'brain fog' will spend time in a pressurized chamber breathing pure oxygen to see if it improves their co…

This study is testing whether a medication called duloxetine, taken before and after knee replacement surgery, can help patients use fewer opioid painkillers during recovery. Researchers will compare 150 patients with knee osteoarthritis who receive either duloxetine or a placebo…

This study is testing whether nabilone, a synthetic drug similar to cannabis, can safely and effectively treat agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. Agitation is a common and distressing symptom that speeds up the need for nursing home care and increases caregiver stress.…

This study is testing whether CBD (cannabidiol) capsules can help reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. Forty participants will try both CBD and a placebo pill in a random order over 19 weeks to see which works better. Researchers will measure changes in agitation,…

This study is testing whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)—where patients breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber—can help reduce chronic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis. Researchers will compare standard treatments alone to standard treatments plus HBOT in 64 wo…

This study is exploring whether testing spinal fluid can better detect cancer that has spread to the brain or its lining compared to standard blood tests. Researchers will collect spinal fluid and blood from 60 patients with solid tumors, including those with and without brain me…

This study aims to create a new training program to help operating room staff work more comfortably and safely. Researchers will observe surgical teams and then develop a simulation-based curriculum to teach better body mechanics and equipment setup. The goal is to reduce the phy…

This study is testing a new type of MRI scan that can take pictures of chemical activity inside the heart. Researchers will give 112 participants, some with high blood pressure or thickened heart muscle, a special injection and then scan their hearts. The goal is to see if this n…

This study is testing a new type of MRI scan to see if it can help doctors better understand brain tumors that have spread from other cancers. Researchers want to see if this scan, which looks at tumor metabolism, can predict how well a tumor will respond to targeted radiation tr…

This study is testing if watching a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) tour helps medical students find their way in a new hospital better than watching a regular 2D video. Researchers will time 44 students as they try to find a specific location after watching one type of video. Th…