Skip to content

Cervical Plexus Hydrodissection With D5W Versus NS for Treatment-Resistant PTSD

Cervical Plexus Hydrodissection With D5W Versus NS for Treatment-Resistant PTSD

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07382596
Enrollment
50
Registered
2026-02-03
Start date
2026-05-16
Completion date
2030-04-01
Last updated
2026-09-16

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

Conditions

PTSD

Keywords

Dextrose, Hydrodissection, Cervical Plexus

Brief summary

PTSD is a chronic mental health condition that drastically reduces an individual's quality of life Dextrose injection with a small needle has been used for chronic pain patients and observational results have shown it to be effective in reducing anxiety, brain fog, and depression in patients with PTSD. This randomized trial will compare dextrose injection with an injection control of normal saline (NS)

Detailed description

PTSD is a well-recognized debilitating mental health condition associated with previous trauma exposure. It is part of the DSM-5 Trauma and Stressor related disorders category. Treatments for PTSD normally involve a multi-disciplinary approach. First-line treatments include psychotherapy and serotonergic reuptake inhibitors. Many patients fail pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Unilateral stellate ganglion block performed favorably for treatment of PTSD in a recent RCT, based upon an expectation that the cervical sympathetic system is neuropathically upregulated in PTSD. However, inclusion of lidocaine requires the presence of an emergency response team due to the potential for inadvertent intravascular injection with generalized seizures or hypotension, and inadvertent laryngeal or phrenic nerve block. Perineural injection of peripheral nerves, plexi, or sympathetic ganglia with dextrose 5% in water (D5W), has performed well empirically in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. No lidocaine is utilized, which allows for avoidance of lidocaine toxicity risk, or any risk of nerve block. Because of that, bilateral procedures are feasible, and these procedures can be performed in any outpatient office with ultrasound availability, as emergency team backup is not necessary, making the procedure readily accessible. A cumulative benefit has been observed, as well. The effects of BHDCP with D5W as a stand-alone treatment for PTSD is under evaluated in a randomized trial compared treatment with D5W versus delayed treatment with early results promising. This study is designed as the next step in study quality through use of an injection control. The primary outcome is the short term and long-term effect of BHDCP with D5W versus NS on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List for Civilians (PCL-C), The primary hypotheses are tha cervical plexus hydrodissection with D5W will outperform NS for the primary measure, and that the PCL\_C improvement will be equal to or greater than 15.3 (1.5 times the MCID of 10.2.). A study size of 100 participants is planned, based on power analysis.

Interventions

DRUGDextrose 5% in water bilateral injection

Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle

DRUGNormal saline bilateral injection

Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle

Sponsors

Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

The statistician is masked as well

Intervention model description

Randomized double-blind study comparing BHDCP with D5W versus NS

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Inclusion Criteria: * Not involved in another study of PTSD treatment * Reliable transportation * Comfortable with computers * Tried 2 or more medications for treatment of PTSD symptoms * Tried 2 or more non-medication treatments for PTSD symptom * No known life-threatening illness * Not taking daily narcotics * Not having 3 or more alcoholic drinks on an average day * No active suicidal plans * No major surgery plans * No major life stress that might interfere with completing study * Symptoms for more than 1 year * Not planning to move for next 18 months. * Living within an hour of Portland, OR, Madison, WI, or Lexington, KY * Wiling to provide 2 email and 2 phone contact methods * Willing to answer questions on multiple occasions over the course of a year. * Willing to be assigned to 3 months of usual care treatment * No diagnosis of schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder. * No severe needle phobia * Chronic pain ≤ 5/10 * PCL-C score ≥ 50

Exclusion criteria

\-

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Post traumatic checklist for civilians3 monthsMinimum 17 Maximum 85 Higher scores mean worse outcome

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Hospital anxiety and depression scale3 monthsMinimum 0 Maximum 42 Higher scores mean worse outcome
EuroQol Visual Analog Scale (0-100 overall quality of life)3 monthsMinimum 0 Maximum 100 Higher scores mean better outcome

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTKenneth D Reeves, MD
DeanReevesmd@gmail.com9133621600
CONTACTClare R Solso, RN
cereeves2002@hotmail.com405 819 7777
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORKenneth D Reeves, M.D.

Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 17, 2026