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Cryoneurolysis for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy of the Foot

Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis for Management of Chronic Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: A Randomized Sham-controlled Pilot Study

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06646731
Enrollment
30
Registered
2024-10-17
Start date
2025-08-25
Completion date
2026-12-01
Last updated
2026-07-06

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

Conditions

Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (PDPN)

Keywords

Cryoneurolysis, Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of the Foot, Chronic Pain, Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis

Brief summary

The study is a single-center, randomized, participant- and observer-masked, human-subjects, post-market clinical pilot study to investigate the use of ultrasound-guided percutaneous cryoneurolysis to treat diabetic neuropathy of the foot. A prolonged nerve block may be provided by freezing the nerve using a technique called "cryoneurolysis". With cryoneurolysis and ultrasound machines, a small needle-like "probe" may be placed through anesthetized skin and guided to the target nerve to allow freezing. The procedure takes about 6 minutes for each nerve, involves little discomfort, has no systemic side effects, and cannot be misused or become addictive. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two possible treatments groups: cryoneurolysis (experimental) or sham (control). The primary outcome measure is the change in pain on the neuropathic pain scale from baseline 1 month following the procedure.

Detailed description

The study is a single-center, randomized, participant- and observer-masked, human-subjects, post-market clinical pilot study to investigate the use of ultrasound-guided percutaneous cryoneurolysis to treat diabetic neuropathy of the foot. A prolonged nerve block may be provided by freezing the nerve using a technique called "cryoneurolysis". With cryoneurolysis and ultrasound machines, a small needle-like "probe" may be placed through anesthetized skin and guided to the target nerve to allow freezing. The procedure takes about 6 minutes for each nerve, involves little discomfort, has no systemic side effects, and cannot be misused or become addictive. After 2-3 months, the nerve returns to normal functioning. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two possible treatments groups: cryoneurolysis (experimental) or sham (control). The primary outcome measure is the change in pain on the neuropathic pain scale from baseline 1 month following the procedure. Our objective is to investigate the therapeutic benefits of cryoneurolysis for research participants with painful diabetic neuropathy of the feet via a pilot study of 30 research participants. We hypothesize that ultrasound-guided cryoneurolysis of the superficial peroneal nerve will improve pain outcomes in research participants with painful diabetic neuropathy of the foot. The aims of this study will be to: Primary Specific Aim. Demonstrate the potential efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous cryoneurolysis of the superficial peroneal nerve, sural, distal saphenous, and/or deep peroneal nerve to treat painful diabetic neuropathy of the foot in reducing neuropathic pain 1 month after the procedure compared to baseline. This will be performed as a pilot study and executed as a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial of 30 subjects. Hypothesis 1: Diabetic neuropathic pain intensity will be decreased relative to baseline 1 month following a cryoneurolysis procedure (as measured by the Neuropathic Pain Scale). Secondary Specific Aim: To test the influence of a cryoanalgesia treatment as compared to sham/placebo on the long term measurements related to pain, quality of life, and analgesic usage. Hypothesis 2a: Perception of well-being will be improved 1 month following one cryoneurolysis procedure (as measured with the Patient Global Impression of Change Scale). Hypothesis 2b: Physical and emotional functioning will be improved relative to baseline 1 month following one cryoneurolysis procedure (as measured with the Interference Subscale of the Brief Pain Inventory). Hypothesis 2c: Pain and opioid consumption will be reduced in the cryoneurolysis group compare to sham at multiple post-procedure time points, including 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after.

Interventions

DEVICEcryoneurolysis

Peripheral nerve cryoneurolysis of the foot

a sham probe will be placed percutaneously proximal to target nerves. No cryoneurolysis will be given.

Sponsors

University of California, San Diego
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Intervention model description

The study is a single-center, randomized, participant- and observer-masked, human-subjects, post-market clinical pilot study

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Research participants with diabetes mellitus and painful diabetic neuropathy of the foot (unilateral or bilateral) * HgbA1c \<10 (to avoid any increased risk of site infection) * Adult patients of at least 18 years of age * Experiencing at least moderate diabetic neuropathic pain in the foot - defined as 3 or higher on the numeric rating scale (NRS; 0-10, 0=no pain; 10=worse imaginable pain) - at least daily for the previous 2 months.

Exclusion criteria

* Diabetic neuropathy not in the distribution of the superficial peroneal nerve, sural nerve, deep peroneal, and/or distal saphenous nerve. * Comorbidities that are contraindication to cryoneurolysis (e.g., Reynaud syndrome, cryoglobulinemia, cold urticaria) * Allergy to local anesthetic * Pregnancy * Incarceration * Inability to communicate to investigators due to lack of capacity * Local infection in the foot/ankle where cryoneurolysis will be performed

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain Intensity1 monthChange in pain intensity compared to baseline due to diabetic neuropathy of the foot as measured by the score of the Neuropathic Pain Scale. The primary outcome will be at 1 month following the study procedure. The primary statistic will be comparing the median change in the neuropathic pain scale score between both cohorts.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Perception of Well-Being1 monthPerception of well-being will be improved 1 month following one cryoneurolysis procedure (as measured with the Patient Global Impression of Change Scale).
Physical and Emotional Functioning1 monthPhysical and emotional functioning will be improved relative to baseline 1 month following one cryoneurolysis procedure (as measured with the Interference Subscale of the Brief Pain Inventory).
Pain intensity - 1 month1 monthPain intensity as measured by Brief Pain Inventory
Pain Intensity - 1 week1 weekPain intensity as measured by Neuropathic Pain Scale and Brief Pain Inventory)
Pain Intensity - 3 months3 monthsPain intensity as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory and Neuropathic Pain Scale
Pain Intensity - 6 months6 monthsPain intensity as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory and Neuropathic Pain Scale
Opioid consumption - 1 week1 weekopioid consumption as measured by the Quantitative Analgesic Questionnaire
Opioid consumption - 1 month1 monthopioid consumption as measured by the Quantitative Analgesic Questionnaire
Opioid consumption - 3 months3 monthsopioid consumption as measured by the Quantitative Analgesic Questionnaire
Opioid consumption - 6 months6 monthsopioid consumption as measured by the Quantitative Analgesic Questionnaire

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 7, 2026