Actively Recruiting
UltrasouNd-guided Percutaneous Intercostal Nerve Cryoneurolysis for Analgesia Following Traumatic Rib Fracture
Led by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre · Updated on 2025-09-12
24
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
110 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Traumatic rib fractures (i.e., broken ribs caused by a physical injury) are common and very painful. They also often lead to serious complications, more time spent in hospital, and can even lead to death. Even after rib fractures have healed, they can lead to long-term pain and a lower quality of life. A technology called cryoneurolysis, which acts to freeze nerves causing pain using a small tool which can turn very cold, is a promising new way to manage rib fracture pain. This study is a test with a small number of people to see if it is feasible to use this technology for patients with rib fractures. If this is successful, we will recruit more people for a larger study to see if cryoneurolysis, along with standard pain control techniques, is better at stopping pain, compared to just the normal techniques alone. Participants in our study will be asked to rate their pain, and record pain medications that they take for 3 months after their pain procedure.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
UltrasouNd-guided Percutaneous Intercostal Nerve Cryoneurolysis for Analgesia Following Traumatic Rib Fracture
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 years or older
- Have 3 to 8 unilateral traumatic rib fractures
- Suitable candidate for erector spinae plane (ESP) block catheter
- Admitted to hospital within 48 hours of injury
You will not qualify if you...
- Do not consent to participate or unlikely to comply with follow-up
- Unable to use Patient Controlled Regional Analgesia (due to ventilation, sedation, or moderate to severe brain injury)
- Chronic pain with opioid use over 30mg oral morphine equivalent daily
- Substance use disorder
- Creatinine clearance less than 50
- Body mass index over 45
- Significant distracting injuries such as unreduced long bone fractures, unstable pelvic or spine fractures, or requiring trauma laparotomy
- Contraindications for ESP catheter placement including medical, neurological, or hematologic diseases, infection or trauma at the intervention site, or allergy to amide local anesthetics
- Contraindications to cryoneurolysis including cryoglobulinemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, multiple myeloma, or cold urticaria
- Unable to return to Trauma Recovery Clinic (in-person or virtual) at 3 months
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4N3M5
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
B
Ben Safa, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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