Please sign in to follow a disease.
Which painkiller works best after major head and neck surgery?
NCT ID NCT06784999
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two pain medicines, sufentanil and methadone, given during head and neck reconstruction surgery. About 128 adults will be randomly assigned to receive one of the drugs. Researchers will track pain levels and how much extra pain medicine is needed after surgery to see which drug works better.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- sufentanil and methadone
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could show which pain medicine works better for patients after head and neck reconstruction, leading to improved pain management and recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study (128 participants) comparing two existing drugs, so results may not apply to all patients. Pain relief varies individually, and both drugs have side effects like nausea or drowsiness.
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
-
About 128 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Nov 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.
- Ages
-
18 to 80 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: * • Patients undergoing head and neck dissection with free flap or rotational reconstruction at Indiana University Health Adult Academic Health Center * ASA class 1, 2, or 3 (See Appendix) * Age 18 to 80 * male or female * Able and willing to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Any contraindication to opiates, (i.e. allergy to opioids, substance use disorder) as determined by PI review and any contraindications reported by the patient * Patient on home methadone at any dose * Any physical, mental or medical conditions which, in the opinion of the investigators, may confound quantifying postoperative pain resulting from surgery * Known true allergy to the study medications (sufentanil, methadone) * Any history of substance abuse in the past 6 months which would include heroin or any other illegal street drugs * End stage liver disease, end stage renal disease * Patient staying intubated or on mechanical ventilation after surgery * Patient (home dose) taking more than 30mg PO morphine equivalent (OME) per day * Any additional and concurrent surgical procedures to the patient
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Free flap reconstruction are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
-
The places running it
1 site. 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.
-
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
-
Indiana University
RECRUITINGIndianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.