Can a child's emotions predict chronic pain after surgery? new study aims to find out.

NCT ID NCT05816174

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Helen Koechlin Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study follows 281 children aged 8 to 18 who are having major orthopedic surgery. Researchers will track their pain and emotions before surgery and for 12 months after. The goal is to understand which emotion-related factors—like mood swings or difficulty telling emotions apart—increase or decrease the risk of developing chronic pain. This is an observational study, so no treatment is given; it aims to gather knowledge for future prevention strategies.

What this could mean

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

What this could lead to: If successful, this study could help identify which children are at risk for chronic pain after surgery and point to ways to prevent it by supporting emotional health.
What could go wrong: This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It will not test any intervention, so it cannot directly prove that changing emotions prevents pain. Results may not apply to all surgeries or children.

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.

Participants

About 281 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Nov 2023

Expected to finish

Jan 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

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.

Who is studied

Participants between the ages of 8 and 18 years who have a planned orthopedic surgery in one of the participating hospitals will be approached. Participating hospitals are large Swiss university children's hospital.

Ages: 8 to 18 years
Sex: Anyone

Show 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 and adolescents aged between 8 and 18 years * Planned orthopedic surgery requiring in-patient care in one of the participating children's hospitals * Able to read and understand German Exclusion Criteria: * Serious comorbid health condition (e.g., cancer, severe neurological impairment, chronic illness requiring daily medication) * Prior major orthopedic surgery (e.g., prior spine surgery) * Parent/caregiver and child not able to read and understand German

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Chronic post operative pain

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. 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.

Can a child's emotions predict chronic pain after surgery? new study aims to find out.

What the study statuses mean