Freezing nerves vs. numbing shots: which eases broken rib pain better?
NCT ID NCT06347874
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests if freezing the nerves between the ribs (cryoablation) provides better pain relief than a numbing catheter placed near the spine for people with multiple broken ribs. About 48 adults with more than one rib fracture will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. The main goal is to see which method leads to lower pain scores and less opioid use one week after the procedure.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 48 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who are over 18 who have more than one ribs fractured. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have an exclusion to regional anesthesia. * Patients who are pregnant via self-report or pregnancy test if they take one. * Non-English speakers * Patients who have cold urticaria * Patients with bilateral fractures * Patients currently intubated
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Minnesota
RECRUITINGMinneapolis, Minnesota, 55414, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Two drugs, one nerve block: which keeps rib fracture pain away longer?
- Fixing broken ribs with surgery may cut pain better than drugs alone
- Can a simple patch replace opioids for broken ribs in seniors?
- Ultrasound-Guided epidurals: a missed opportunity?
- Pain relief showdown for broken ribs: IV lidocaine vs nerve block
- Rib fracture surgery: does age matter more than injury severity?