New pain block study aims to cut opioid use after spinal fusion
NCT ID NCT07228039
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests whether a specific nerve block (ESP block) using bupivacaine can reduce pain and opioid use after spinal fusion surgery. 75 adults undergoing cervical or lumbar fusion will be randomly assigned to receive either plain bupivacaine or a mix with liposomal bupivacaine. Researchers will measure pain scores, opioid consumption, and how quickly patients can leave the hospital.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- bupivacaine (plain and liposomal)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a better way to manage pain after spinal fusion, reducing the need for opioids and shortening hospital stays.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial (75 people) testing a well-known drug, so the improvement may be modest. Results may not apply to all patients or surgeries.
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
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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 75 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2027
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2028
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 to 75 years
- 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.
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 * English speaking * Age 18-75 * ASA physical status 1-3 * Undergoing elective cervical or lumbar posterior spinal fusion (≤3 levels) Exclusion Criteria * Age \<18 or \>75 * ASA IV or V * Non-English speaking * BMI \>40 * Opioid dependence * Chronic pain * Anticoagulation or coagulopathy * Injection site infection * Hepatic or renal insufficiency * Allergy to study drugs * Pregnancy * Inability to communicate with investigators
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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
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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