Could a common steroid make scoliosis surgery less painful for kids?
NCT ID NCT06616220
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether adding dexamethasone to a nerve block (erector spinae plane block) can improve pain control after scoliosis surgery in children aged 10 to 18. Sixty children were randomly assigned to receive either the nerve block with dexamethasone or with a placebo. The main goal was to see how long it took before they needed opioid painkillers after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dexamethasone
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide better pain relief and reduce the need for strong opioids after scoliosis surgery in children.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed Phase 4 trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to all children. Adding dexamethasone to a nerve block may not significantly improve pain control and could carry rare side effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Oct 2024
- Finished
-
Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
10 to 18 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * children scheduled for idiopathic scoliosis surgery * age \>10 and \<18 years Exclusion Criteria: * age \< 10 years * age \< 18 years * infection at the site of the regional blockade * coagulation disorders * immunodeficiency * ASA= or \>4 * steroid medication in regular use
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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
-
Department of Spine Diseases and Pediatric Orthopedics, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Poznan, Wielkopolska, 61-545, Poland
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