Does Preoperative Pain Medication Management Influence Surgical Outcomes in Spinal Fusion

NCT ID: NCT04095624

Last Updated: 2025-04-11

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

16 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-09-09

Study Completion Date

2023-07-01

Brief Summary

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In light of the current opioid epidemic, there is an urgent need to address chronic opioid use prior to surgery before it is exacerbated by postoperative surgical pain. Our central hypothesis is that patients who taper their opioid use prior to surgery will have reduced postoperative opioid and pain medication usage, less postoperative pain, and improved patient reported outcomes relative to patients that do not taper prior to surgery. Our specific aims include: 1. Determine whether reducing patients' preoperative opioid usage through a structured tapering regimen reduces postoperative opioid and pain medication use. 2. Examine whether reducing patients' preoperative opioid usage through a structured tapering regimen reduces postoperative pain. 3. Determine whether reducing patients' preoperative opioid usage through a structured tapering regimen improves patient reported outcomes.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Opioid Use Spine Fusion

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

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Opioid Taper Group

Patients randomized to the taper group will have baseline pain score, opioid medication use, and patient reported outcomes 4-6 weeks prior to elective thoracolumbar, lumbar, or lumbosacral spinal fusion surgery. They will receive a scheduled tapering protocol, with a goal of 10-15% reduction in their weekly opioid use, along with weekly phone calls from a study coordinator assessing their ability to taper and pain scores. After surgery, they will receive 6 weekly phone calls from the coordinator, to assess their postoperative opioid medication use and pain scores. At the 6th week phone call, and 3 month and 6 month clinic postoperative clinic visits, they will also repeat patient reported outcome measures.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Spinal Fusion Preoperative Opioid Taper

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Guided weekly opioid pain medication reduction via telephone calls prior to elective spinal fusion surgery.

Control Group

Patients randomized to the control group will have baseline pain score, opioid medication use, and patient reported outcomes 4-6 weeks prior to elective thoracolumbar, lumbar, or lumbosacral spinal fusion surgery. They will receive no recommendation or guidance in their preoperative opioid pain medication use, but will received weekly phone calls from a study coordinator assessing their preoperative pain scores. After surgery, they will receive 6 weekly phone calls from the coordinator, to assess their postoperative opioid medication use and pain scores. At the 6th week phone call, and 3 month and 6 month clinic postoperative clinic visits, they will also repeat patient reported outcome measures.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Non-taper Control

Intervention Type OTHER

Weekly phone calls prior to elective spinal fusion surgery, without opioid pain medication reduction recommendation or guidance.

Interventions

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Spinal Fusion Preoperative Opioid Taper

Guided weekly opioid pain medication reduction via telephone calls prior to elective spinal fusion surgery.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Non-taper Control

Weekly phone calls prior to elective spinal fusion surgery, without opioid pain medication reduction recommendation or guidance.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* 18 years of age or older
* Indicated for lumbar, lumbosacral, or thoracolumbar spinal fusion surgery in the departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Neurosurgery
* Daily opioid use for at least 4 weeks prior to the preoperative planning appointment

Exclusion Criteria

* Suboxone (buprenorphine) use
* Unable to complete patient reported outcome measures (PROMs)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Stanford University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Serena Hu

Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Serena Hu, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Stanford University

Locations

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Stanford Hospital and Clinics

Redwood City, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Baron MJ, McDonald PW. Significant pain reduction in chronic pain patients after detoxification from high-dose opioids. J Opioid Manag. 2006 Sep-Oct;2(5):277-82. doi: 10.5055/jom.2006.0041.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17319259 (View on PubMed)

Benyamin R, Trescot AM, Datta S, Buenaventura R, Adlaka R, Sehgal N, Glaser SE, Vallejo R. Opioid complications and side effects. Pain Physician. 2008 Mar;11(2 Suppl):S105-20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18443635 (View on PubMed)

Berna C, Kulich RJ, Rathmell JP. Tapering Long-term Opioid Therapy in Chronic Noncancer Pain: Evidence and Recommendations for Everyday Practice. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Jun;90(6):828-42. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.04.003.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26046416 (View on PubMed)

Chu LF, Angst MS, Clark D. Opioid-induced hyperalgesia in humans: molecular mechanisms and clinical considerations. Clin J Pain. 2008 Jul-Aug;24(6):479-96. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31816b2f43.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18574358 (View on PubMed)

Chu LF, Clark DJ, Angst MS. Opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia in chronic pain patients after one month of oral morphine therapy: a preliminary prospective study. J Pain. 2006 Jan;7(1):43-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2005.08.001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16414554 (View on PubMed)

Crisostomo RA, Schmidt JE, Hooten WM, Kerkvliet JL, Townsend CO, Bruce BK. Withdrawal of analgesic medication for chronic low-back pain patients: improvement in outcomes of multidisciplinary rehabilitation regardless of surgical history. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Jul;87(7):527-36. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e31817c124f.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18574345 (View on PubMed)

Farrell M. Opiate withdrawal. Addiction. 1994 Nov;89(11):1471-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1994.tb03745.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7841858 (View on PubMed)

Fishbain DA, Rosomoff HL, Cutler R. Opiate detoxification protocols. A clinical manual. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1993 Mar;5(1):53-65. doi: 10.3109/10401239309148924.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8394176 (View on PubMed)

Heiwe S, Lonnquist I, Kallmen H. Potential risk factors associated with risk for drop-out and relapse during and following withdrawal of opioid prescription medication. Eur J Pain. 2011 Oct;15(9):966-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2011.03.006. Epub 2011 May 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21546290 (View on PubMed)

Mirza SK, Deyo RA, Heagerty PJ, Konodi MA, Lee LA, Turner JA, Goodkin R. Development of an index to characterize the "invasiveness" of spine surgery: validation by comparison to blood loss and operative time. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008 Nov 15;33(24):2651-61; discussion 2662. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e31818dad07.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18981957 (View on PubMed)

Nguyen LC, Sing DC, Bozic KJ. Preoperative Reduction of Opioid Use Before Total Joint Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2016 Sep;31(9 Suppl):282-7. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2016.01.068. Epub 2016 Mar 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27105557 (View on PubMed)

Nilsen HK, Stiles TC, Landro NI, Fors EA, Kaasa S, Borchgrevink PC. Patients with problematic opioid use can be weaned from codeine without pain escalation. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2010 May;54(5):571-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2009.02164.x. Epub 2009 Nov 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19919582 (View on PubMed)

Ostelo RW, Deyo RA, Stratford P, Waddell G, Croft P, Von Korff M, Bouter LM, de Vet HC. Interpreting change scores for pain and functional status in low back pain: towards international consensus regarding minimal important change. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008 Jan 1;33(1):90-4. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e31815e3a10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18165753 (View on PubMed)

Ralphs JA, de C Williams AC, Richardson PH, Pither CE, Nicholas MK. Opiate reduction in chronic pain patients: a comparison of patient-controlled reduction and staff controlled cocktail methods. Pain. 1994 Mar;56(3):279-288. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(94)90166-X.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8022621 (View on PubMed)

Tennant FS Jr, Rawson RA. Outpatient treatment of prescription opioid dependence: comparison of two methods. Arch Intern Med. 1982 Oct;142(10):1845-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6181749 (View on PubMed)

Townsend CO, Kerkvliet JL, Bruce BK, Rome JD, Hooten MW, Luedtke CA, Hodgson JE. A longitudinal study of the efficacy of a comprehensive pain rehabilitation program with opioid withdrawal: comparison of treatment outcomes based on opioid use status at admission. Pain. 2008 Nov 15;140(1):177-189. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2008.08.005. Epub 2008 Sep 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18804915 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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47240

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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