Pain Control and Quality of Recovery After Intravenous Methadone Versus Intravenous Remifentanil in Craniotomy Surgery

NCT ID: NCT06810336

Last Updated: 2025-02-05

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

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

EARLY_PHASE1

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-03-10

Study Completion Date

2026-09-10

Brief Summary

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Postoperative pain is prevalent after intracranial surgery. Patients undergoing craniotomy are typically managed with short acting opioids to enable early and reliable post-operative neurological exam as well as avoid the risk of respiratory depression. However, a plethora of studies have shown that a majority of these patients experience moderate to severe pain in first 48 hours after surgery. Suboptimal pain control can lead to complications such as arterial hypertension and post-operative intracranial hemorrhage, and hence, increased morbidity and mortality.

Intravenous (IV) methadone has a long analgesic half-life and has N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) properties. It has previously been shown to reduce postoperative opioid requirements, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and postoperative pain scores in patients that underwent orthopedic, abdominal, complex spine, and cardiac surgery. Similar findings have been shown in obstetric patients that underwent caesarean delivery under general anesthesia as well as patients that underwent gynecologic surgery and received IV methadone intraoperatively.

In a recently published retrospective study, a single intraoperative dose of IV methadone was well tolerated with lower pain scores as well as MME (oral morphine milligram equivalents) requirements for up to 72 hours after elective intracranial surgery.

IV methadone has, however, never been compared with conventional management via IV remifentanil for functional recovery in patients undergoing elective intercranial surgery.

The investigator's hypothesis is that intravenous (IV) methadone is non-inferior to IV remifentanil in patients who undergo elective intracranial surgery. It offers the advantage of being a single dose noninvasive analgesic modality that may contribute to decreasing MME consumption during the first 72 hours postoperatively, controlling postoperative pain, and improving quality of recovery after surgery.

Detailed Description

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Postoperative pain is prevalent after intracranial surgery. Patients undergoing craniotomy are typically managed with short acting opioids to enable early and reliable post-operative neurological exam as well as avoid the risk of respiratory depression. However, a plethora of studies have shown that a majority of these patients experience moderate to severe pain in first 48 hours after surgery. Suboptimal pain control can lead to complications such as arterial hypertension and post-operative intracranial hemorrhage, and hence, increased morbidity and mortality.

Intravenous (IV) methadone has a long analgesic half-life and has N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) properties. It has previously been shown to reduce postoperative opioid requirements, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and postoperative pain scores in patients that underwent orthopedic, abdominal, complex spine, and cardiac surgery. Similar findings have been shown in obstetric patients that underwent caesarean delivery under general anesthesia as well as patients that underwent gynecologic surgery and received IV methadone intraoperatively.

In a recently published retrospective study, a single intraoperative dose of IV methadone was well tolerated with lower pain scores as well as MME (oral morphine milligram equivalents) requirements for up to 72 hours after elective intracranial surgery.

IV methadone has, however, never been compared with conventional management via IV remifentanil for functional recovery in patients undergoing elective intercranial surgery.

The investigator's hypothesis is that intravenous (IV) methadone is non-inferior to IV remifentanil in patients who undergo elective intracranial surgery. It offers the advantage of being a single dose noninvasive analgesic modality that may contribute to decreasing MME consumption during the first 72 hours postoperatively, controlling postoperative pain, and improving quality of recovery after surgery.

Conditions

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Brain Injury Brain Tumors Craniotomy Surgery Pain Postoperative Postoperative Care

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

a single blind study
Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

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IV Remifentanil

titratable medication, dosage determined by anesthesia care team.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Remifentanil

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous Remifentanil

IV Methadone

0.2 mg / kg Intravenous delivery prior to incision

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Methadone

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous Methadone

Interventions

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Remifentanil

Intravenous Remifentanil

Intervention Type DRUG

Methadone

Intravenous Methadone

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Adult Patients between ages 18 and 65 years old.
2. Undergoing supratentorial intracranial surgery
3. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physiological status I-III
4. Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18.5 and 45
5. Ability to understand and read English

Exclusion Criteria

1. Being unable or unwilling to sign a consent
2. Anticipated discharge within 24 hours after surgery
3. Patients requiring Emergent Surgery
4. Preoperative usage of Methadone, or allergy to it.
5. Patients with chronic pain, requiring daily opioid use at the time of surgery, MME \>60 as FDA defines opioid tolerant as 60 MME, long-acting forms of opioids such as fentanyl patch, oxycontin
6. Active or Prior Substance Use Disorder, undergoing active treatment with Medication of Opioid Use Disorder including methadone (once daily dosing), Buprenorphine (any formulation) and Naltrexone
7. Preoperative chronic renal insufficiency or failure (defined as a serum creatinine more than 2 mg/dl),
8. Pregnancy
9. Significant liver disease (cirrhosis or hepatic failure)
10. QTc \>450 on preoperative electrocardiogram
11. Pulmonary disease necessitating home oxygen therapy
12. Inability to speak or read the English language
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Virginia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Lauren Dunn, MD

Associate Professor of Anesthesiology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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University of Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Keita Ikeda, PH.D.

Role: CONTACT

9195931174

Lauren Dunn, M.D.

Role: CONTACT

434-924-2283

Facility Contacts

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Keita Ikeda, PhD

Role: primary

9195931174

References

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Russell T, Mitchell C, Paech MJ, Pavy T. Efficacy and safety of intraoperative intravenous methadone during general anaesthesia for caesarean delivery: a retrospective case-control study. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2013 Jan;22(1):47-51. doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2012.10.007. Epub 2012 Dec 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23219678 (View on PubMed)

Murphy GS, Szokol JW, Avram MJ, Greenberg SB, Marymont JH, Shear T, Parikh KN, Patel SS, Gupta DK. Intraoperative Methadone for the Prevention of Postoperative Pain: A Randomized, Double-blinded Clinical Trial in Cardiac Surgical Patients. Anesthesiology. 2015 May;122(5):1112-22. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000000633.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25837528 (View on PubMed)

Gottschalk A, Durieux ME, Nemergut EC. Intraoperative methadone improves postoperative pain control in patients undergoing complex spine surgery. Anesth Analg. 2011 Jan;112(1):218-23. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0b013e3181d8a095. Epub 2010 Apr 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20418538 (View on PubMed)

Gourlay GK, Wilson PR, Glynn CJ. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of methadone during the perioperative period. Anesthesiology. 1982 Dec;57(6):458-67. doi: 10.1097/00000542-198212000-00005. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6128949 (View on PubMed)

Mancini I, Lossignol DA, Body JJ. Opioid switch to oral methadone in cancer pain. Curr Opin Oncol. 2000 Jul;12(4):308-13. doi: 10.1097/00001622-200007000-00006.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10888415 (View on PubMed)

Kharasch ED. Intraoperative methadone: rediscovery, reappraisal, and reinvigoration? Anesth Analg. 2011 Jan;112(1):13-6. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0b013e3181fec9a3. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21173206 (View on PubMed)

Basali A, Mascha EJ, Kalfas I, Schubert A. Relation between perioperative hypertension and intracranial hemorrhage after craniotomy. Anesthesiology. 2000 Jul;93(1):48-54. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200007000-00012.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10861145 (View on PubMed)

Molnar L, Simon E, Nemes R, Fulesdi B, Molnar C. Postcraniotomy headache. J Anesth. 2014 Feb;28(1):102-11. doi: 10.1007/s00540-013-1671-z. Epub 2013 Jul 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23846599 (View on PubMed)

Tsaousi GG, Logan SW, Bilotta F. Postoperative Pain Control Following Craniotomy: A Systematic Review of Recent Clinical Literature. Pain Pract. 2017 Sep;17(7):968-981. doi: 10.1111/papr.12548. Epub 2017 Feb 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27996204 (View on PubMed)

Mordhorst C, Latz B, Kerz T, Wisser G, Schmidt A, Schneider A, Jahn-Eimermacher A, Werner C, Engelhard K. Prospective assessment of postoperative pain after craniotomy. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol. 2010 Jul;22(3):202-6. doi: 10.1097/ANA.0b013e3181df0600.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20479664 (View on PubMed)

Flexman AM, Ng JL, Gelb AW. Acute and chronic pain following craniotomy. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2010 Oct;23(5):551-7. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e32833e15b9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20717011 (View on PubMed)

De Benedittis G, Lorenzetti A, Migliore M, Spagnoli D, Tiberio F, Villani RM. Postoperative pain in neurosurgery: a pilot study in brain surgery. Neurosurgery. 1996 Mar;38(3):466-9; discussion 469-70. doi: 10.1097/00006123-199603000-00008.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8837797 (View on PubMed)

Gottschalk A, Berkow LC, Stevens RD, Mirski M, Thompson RE, White ED, Weingart JD, Long DM, Yaster M. Prospective evaluation of pain and analgesic use following major elective intracranial surgery. J Neurosurg. 2007 Feb;106(2):210-6. doi: 10.3171/jns.2007.106.2.210.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17410701 (View on PubMed)

Vandse R, Vacaru A, Propp D, Graf J, Sran JK, Pillai P. Retrospective Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Intraoperative Methadone for Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Elective Intracranial Surgery. World Neurosurg. 2023 Jul;175:e969-e975. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.04.053. Epub 2023 Apr 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37084845 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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HSR240122

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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