Could a steroid course after sleep surgery cut pain and get you eating faster?
NCT ID NCT06818981
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether taking steroids (dexamethasone) for a few days after sleep surgery helps reduce pain, allows patients to eat solid food sooner, and lowers the need for strong painkillers. About 120 adults with obstructive sleep apnea will receive either the steroid or a placebo. The goal is to see if this simple addition to post-op care can improve recovery without increasing bleeding risks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dexamethasone (a steroid drug)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could lead to a standard post-surgery regimen that reduces pain and speeds recovery for sleep apnea patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial (120 people) testing a short-term steroid course. Previous research found no benefit from a single dose, so longer treatment may also fail to show improvement.
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 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jun 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 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.
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: * Adults 18 years or older * Undergoing sleep surgery, specifically palatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy, uvulectomy, hypoglossal nerve stimulation, genioglossal advancement, or maxillomandibular advancement * Ability to complete all study questions in English Exclusion Criteria: * Any self-reported allergies to corticosteroids * Intra-operative surgical or anesthetic complication * Pre-operative steroid use (defined as any steroid use greater than three days duration within 30 days prior to sleep surgery) * Inability to perform study due to underlying medical condition * Inability to answer postoperative questionnaires due to underlying medical conditions
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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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Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, 29412, United States
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