New electrode design may extend pain relief for common back condition
NCT ID NCT06477094
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether a newer multi-tined electrode provides longer pain relief than a standard single-tip electrode during radiofrequency ablation for lumbar spondylosis, a common cause of lower back pain. About 25 adults with chronic lower back pain from worn facet joints will be randomly assigned to receive the procedure with one of the two FDA-approved devices. Researchers will track pain and daily function using patient questionnaires over 12 months to see if the larger lesion created by the multi-tined electrode leads to better outcomes.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- radiofrequency ablation device
- What this could lead to
- If the multi-tined electrode proves more effective, it could offer longer-lasting pain relief for people with chronic lower back pain due to lumbar spondylosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 25 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The procedure only provides temporary pain relief and does not cure the underlying condition.
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
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 25 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Aug 2024
- Expected to finish
-
Sep 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 years and older
- 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: 1. Greater than 18 years of age 2. Presenting with chronic non-radicular lower back pain 3. Failure of conservative treatment such as physical therapy or NSAID usage 4. Diagnosis of lumbar facet mediated lower back pain by a board-certified chronic pain physician via two sets of prognostic lumbar MBBs with 0.5cc of 0.5% bupivacaine with \>80% pain relief Exclusion Criteria: 1. History of known coagulopathy 2. \> 3 American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification 3. Pregnancy 4. Spinal hardware between L3 and S1 5. Allergies to injection medications 6. English illiteracy 7. Pain improvement following physical therapy or NSAID usage 8. Previous history of attempted lumbar RFA
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Lumbar spondylosis are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
-
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
-
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
RECRUITINGLittle Rock, Arkansas, 72205, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Mind over matter: could a smartphone app supercharge spine surgery recovery?
- Freezing pain away: yale tests Nerve-Blocking procedure for Long-Term relief
- Can catgut threads beat needles for back pain?
- Needle combo may ease stubborn back pain without drugs
- New study aims to cut opioid use after spine surgery with simple nerve block
- New study: could starting PT right away get young athletes back in the game faster?