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Feasibility Study for Intrathoracic Nerve Stimulation

Investigational Device Exemption for Intrathoracic Nerve Stimulation

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04066374
Enrollment
10
Registered
2019-08-26
Start date
2019-08-13
Completion date
2024-06-11
Last updated
2024-07-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Postoperative Pain

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to conduct an early clinical evaluation of safety and feasibility of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) of the intercostal nerves using an electrical lead placed in the thoracic cavity as a safe and effective method of pain control after cardiothoracic surgery.

Detailed description

Despite minimally invasive techniques in thoracic surgery, postoperative pain can still be an issue for patients. Achieving adequate pain control not only affects a patient's short and long term quality of life but is also extremely important in preventing post-operative complications. Pain hinders with ambulating earlier and in performing pulmonary toilet hence increasing the risk of ensuing complications. While surgeons use multimodal approaches (e.g., epidural, regional anesthesia, NSAIDs, and opioids) to treat the postoperative pain, patients may not find relief in the acute period. Additionally, the use of opioids in the postoperative period can lead to chronic dependence and misuse. According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 25% of patients chronically dependent on opioids started taking narcotics after they underwent a surgical procedure. Every day more than 115 people a day die from narcotics, and costing the United States $78.5 billion dollars a year. To prevent the need for opioids and their associated side effects, we look beyond medications for postoperative pain control. The field of neuromodulation has been studying the effects of magnetic field and electrical current stimulation of different areas of the body to treat pain. While this has been shown to be effective for complex regional pain syndrome, low back pain, migraines and post herpetic neuralgia, there have not been studies applying the same concept to patients in the acute postoperative period. The goal is to apply the same concept of peripheral nerve stimulation to treat post thoracic surgery pain and decrease the need for opioids for pain relief. The purpose of this investigational device exemption is to study the efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation in treating post thoracic surgery pain and the safety of using these stimulation leads in the thoracic cavity.

Interventions

DEVICEPeripheral Nerve Stimulation

Medtronic Intellis Spinal Cord Stimulation Device to be implanted in thoracic cavity to treat postoperative acute pain.

Sponsors

The Cleveland Clinic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
22 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

• Patients undergoing pulmonary surgery by open thoracotomy or thoracoscopy with or without robotic assistance.

Exclusion criteria

* Woman who is pregnant, * Subjects who have an active systemic infection or are immunocompromised, * Subjects who will be exposed to diathermy or MRI, * Subjects who have an electrically active implant, e.g., cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or neurostimulator, * Subjects who are on anticoagulation therapy that would preclude their ability to undergo the implant procedure, * Subjects less than 22 years of age, * Subjects at elevated risk of infection or bleeding, * Subjects unable to consent on their own, * Subjects with active infection, * Subjects with immunocompromised state, * Subjects with preoperative chest pain, * Subjects with pleural space infection or inflammatory process, * Subjects undergoing esophageal, tracheal, or gastric procedures, * Subjects undergoing pneumonectomy, * Subjects with an uncorrectable coagulopathy, * Subjects who are allergic or have shown hypersensitivity to any materials of the neurostimulation system which come in contact with the body.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain as Measured by the Visual-analog ScaleBaseline to 3 monthsPain level expressed by the study subject in the scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Lower scores represent the better outcome.
Freedom From Device Related Adverse Eventsup to 7 daysFreedom from device related adverse events (i.e., bleeding, infection, pneumothorax or arrhythmias)

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Treatment Arm
Intrathoracic placement of neurostimulation device Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: Medtronic Intellis Spinal Cord Stimulation Device to be implanted in thoracic cavity to treat postoperative acute pain.
10
Total10

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTreatment Arm
Age, Continuous65.8 years
Baseline Pain Level0 units on a scale
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race
Caucasian
9 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Race
Other
1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
5 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 10
other
Total, other adverse events
9 / 10
serious
Total, serious adverse events
4 / 10

Outcome results

Primary

Freedom From Device Related Adverse Events

Freedom from device related adverse events (i.e., bleeding, infection, pneumothorax or arrhythmias)

Time frame: up to 7 days

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
Treatment ArmFreedom From Device Related Adverse EventsBleeding0 Participants
Treatment ArmFreedom From Device Related Adverse EventsInfection1 Participants
Treatment ArmFreedom From Device Related Adverse EventsPneumothorax1 Participants
Treatment ArmFreedom From Device Related Adverse EventsArrhythmias0 Participants
Primary

Pain as Measured by the Visual-analog Scale

Pain level expressed by the study subject in the scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Lower scores represent the better outcome.

Time frame: Baseline to 3 months

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Treatment ArmPain as Measured by the Visual-analog Scale1 units on a scale

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026