Which drug makes spine surgery recovery less painful? new trial aims to find out.
NCT ID NCT07180940
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether adding dexamethasone or dexmedetomidine to a standard nerve block (with ropivacaine) can better control pain after lower back surgery. 150 adults scheduled for elective lumbar spine surgery will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. The main goal is to see which combination reduces the need for opioid painkillers in the first 24 to 48 hours 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 or dexmedetomidine added to ropivacaine
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a better way to manage pain after spine surgery, reducing the need for strong opioids.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial focused on short-term pain relief. Results may not apply to all spine surgeries or patients, and both drugs have known 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
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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 150 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
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: * Adults aged 18 to N/A (no limit) * Scheduled for elective lumbar spine surgery (e.g., decompression or fusion) via posterior approach * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III * Body weight ≥ 50 kg * Ability to provide written informed consent * Expected postoperative hospitalization of at least 48 hours Exclusion Criteria: * Known allergy or contraindication to ropivacaine, dexamethasone, or dexmedetomidine * Infection at or near the site of block placement * Coagulation disorders or current use of anticoagulant therapy (not discontinued per guidelines) * Chronic opioid use or opioid dependence * Neurological or psychiatric disorders interfering with pain assessment * Diabetes mellitus with poorly controlled glycemia (e.g., HbA1c \> 8%) * Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction * Body mass index (BMI) \> 40 kg/m² * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Refusal or inability to cooperate with the study protocol
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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 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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Poznan University of Medical Sciences
RECRUITINGPoznan, 62-701, Poland
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Spine surgery Patients' data collected to improve future care
- New study aims to find best pain block for elderly back surgery patients
- Spine surgery pain relief: which additive works best?
- Walking test could revolutionize scoliosis checks in kids