Ketamine Administration for Postoperative Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Knee Arthroplasty

NCT ID: NCT07059429

Last Updated: 2025-09-30

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-07-01

Study Completion Date

2026-01-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ketamine infusion for pain relief after knee replacement surgery. Adult patients who have undergone knee arthroplasty will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The study group will receive standard pain management plus a continuous infusion of ketamine using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), while the control group will only receive standard pain management. All patients will be monitored for pain intensity using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at several time points the first 24 hours after surgery. The study will compare the total amount of opioid pain medication required, the level of pain experienced, and the frequency and severity of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and neuropsychiatric reactions. The goal is to determine whether adding ketamine to standard pain management reduces opioid use and improves pain control without increasing side effects. The results improve pain management strategies after knee replacement surgery.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

This is a prospective, randomized controlled study evaluating the use of ketamine infusion as part of postoperative pain management for adult patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. The study will enroll patients aged 18 to 90 years who have undergone knee replacement surgery at the N.I. Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either the study group or the control group. Both groups will receive standardized pain management with ketoprofen and paracetamol in keeping with current guidelines. The study group will receive an additional continuous infusion of ketamine using PCA at a rate of 0.15 mg/kg/h, with 1 mg boluses available in 5-minute lockout intervals and a maximum daily dose of 500 mg. In both groups, opioid analgesics (morphine 10 mg intramuscularly as needed) will be administered if pain control is inadequate. Regional nerve blocks may be repeated under ultrasound guidance if necessary; patients requiring repeated femoral nerve block will be analyzed separately.

Pain intensity will be assessed using the NRS at 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 18, and 24 hours postoperatively. Data will be collected on the total dose of opioids used, additional analgesic requirements, the number and severity of neuropsychiatric adverse events (graded according to CTCAE), the frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and the total dose and number of ketamine boluses administered.

The primary outcome is the total dose of opioid analgesics (morphine equivalents, mg) administered the first 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes include pain scores at each time point, incidence and severity of neuropsychiatric side effects, frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and total ketamine dose received.

The study is designed to compare the efficacy and safety of ketamine infusion in reducing opioid consumption and improving pain control after knee arthroplasty, while closely monitoring adverse events. The results aim to provide evidence for optimizing multimodal analgesia in orthopedic surgery.This clinical trial was preceded by a pilot study involving patients undergoing knee arthroplasty. The pilot phase aimed to evaluate the variability of key parameters such as pain intensity, opioid requirements, and the incidence of neuropsychiatric side effects. Based on the analysis of the investigators' published data, modifications were made in the main study protocol, including adjustments to the ketamine bolus dose within the PCA regimen to optimize efficacy and safety.

The changes were introduced to enhance pain control and minimize adverse effects in the main study population. The current trial involves these protocol refinements, and the investigators anticipate that the optimized ketamine dosing schedule will lead to improved outcomes compared to the initial regimen.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Knee Arthroplasty Postoperative Pain Pain Management Analgesia Opioid Use Ketamine

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel groups:

the intervention group (standardized postoperative analgesia plus ketamine infusion via patient-controlled analgesia),

or the control group (standardized postoperative analgesia without ketamine). Randomization will be performed using permuted blocks of six patients. There will be no crossover or switching between groups; all interventions and assessments will be conducted independently and concurrently for both groups.

The study is single-center and prospective.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Ketamine Plus Standard Analgesia

Participants in this group will receive standardized postoperative pain management (ketoprofen 100 mg twice daily and paracetamol 1000 mg every 8 hours for 24 hours after knee arthroplasty) plus a continuous intravenous infusion of ketamine using PCA at 0.15 mg/kg/h, with 1 mg boluses available every 5 minutes (maximum daily dose 500 mg), for 24 hours after knee arthroplasty. Morphine 10 mg intramuscularly (IM) may be administered as needed for rescue therapy.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Ketamine

Intervention Type DRUG

Ketamine administered intravenously at 0.15 mg/kg/h via PCA with 1 mg boluses, 5-minute lockout, maximum 500 mg per 24 hours after knee arthroplasty.

Standard Analgesia Alone

Participants in this group will receive standardized postoperative pain management (ketoprofen 100 mg twice daily and paracetamol 1000 mg every 8 hours for 24 hours after knee arthroplasty) without ketamine infusion. Morphine 10 mg IM may be administered as needed for rescue therapy.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Standard Analgesia

Intervention Type DRUG

Standard analgesia includes ketoprofen 100 mg twice daily and paracetamol 1000 mg every 8 hours for 24 hours after knee arthroplasty; morphine 10 mg IM as needed for rescue therapy.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Ketamine

Ketamine administered intravenously at 0.15 mg/kg/h via PCA with 1 mg boluses, 5-minute lockout, maximum 500 mg per 24 hours after knee arthroplasty.

Intervention Type DRUG

Standard Analgesia

Standard analgesia includes ketoprofen 100 mg twice daily and paracetamol 1000 mg every 8 hours for 24 hours after knee arthroplasty; morphine 10 mg IM as needed for rescue therapy.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Age greater than 18 years and less than 90 years.
* Patients who have undergone knee arthroplasty.
* The patient has read the information sheet and signed the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria

* Spinal anesthesia performed intraoperatively.
* Epidural analgesia administered postoperatively.
* Perioperative blockade of the sciatic nerve, genicular nerve, or lumbar plexus.
* Allergy to ketamine or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
* Contraindications to ketamine as specified in the product instructions.
* Time from the end of surgery to study enrollment exceeds 24 hours.
* Ineffectiveness of analgesia as provided by the study protocol.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

90 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

State Budgetary Healthcare Institution, National Medical Surgical Center N.A. N.I. Pirogov, Ministry of Health of Russia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Boris Teplykh, MD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center

Ivan Shcheparev, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center

Moscow, , Russia

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Russia

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Ivan Shcheparev, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+7 901 908 90 88

Boris Teplykh, MD

Role: CONTACT

+7 916 616-60-38

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Ivan Shcheparev, MD, PhD

Role: primary

+7 901 908 90 88

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Laskowski K, Stirling A, McKay WP, Lim HJ. A systematic review of intravenous ketamine for postoperative analgesia. Can J Anaesth. 2011 Oct;58(10):911-23. doi: 10.1007/s12630-011-9560-0. Epub 2011 Jul 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21773855 (View on PubMed)

Subramaniam K, Subramaniam B, Steinbrook RA. Ketamine as adjuvant analgesic to opioids: a quantitative and qualitative systematic review. Anesth Analg. 2004 Aug;99(2):482-95, table of contents. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000118109.12855.07.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15271729 (View on PubMed)

Guillou N, Tanguy M, Seguin P, Branger B, Campion JP, Malledant Y. The effects of small-dose ketamine on morphine consumption in surgical intensive care unit patients after major abdominal surgery. Anesth Analg. 2003 Sep;97(3):843-847. doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000075837.67275.36.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12933413 (View on PubMed)

Jouguelet-Lacoste J, La Colla L, Schilling D, Chelly JE. The use of intravenous infusion or single dose of low-dose ketamine for postoperative analgesia: a review of the current literature. Pain Med. 2015 Feb;16(2):383-403. doi: 10.1111/pme.12619. Epub 2014 Dec 19.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25530168 (View on PubMed)

American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management. Practice guidelines for acute pain management in the perioperative setting: an updated report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management. Anesthesiology. 2012 Feb;116(2):248-73. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e31823c1030. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22227789 (View on PubMed)

Fischer HB, Simanski CJ, Sharp C, Bonnet F, Camu F, Neugebauer EA, Rawal N, Joshi GP, Schug SA, Kehlet H; PROSPECT Working Group. A procedure-specific systematic review and consensus recommendations for postoperative analgesia following total knee arthroplasty. Anaesthesia. 2008 Oct;63(10):1105-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05565.x. Epub 2008 Jul 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18627367 (View on PubMed)

Brinck EC, Tiippana E, Heesen M, Bell RF, Straube S, Moore RA, Kontinen V. Perioperative intravenous ketamine for acute postoperative pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Dec 20;12(12):CD012033. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012033.pub4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30570761 (View on PubMed)

Bell RF, Dahl JB, Moore RA, Kalso EA. WITHDRAWN: Perioperative ketamine for acute postoperative pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul 2;2015(7):CD004603. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004603.pub3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26133677 (View on PubMed)

Porter SB, McClain RL, Howe BL, Ardon AE, Mazer LS, Knestrick BM, Clendenen AM. Perioperative ketamine for acute postoperative analgesia: the Mayo Clinic-Florida experience. J Perianesth Nurs. 2015 Jun;30(3):189-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2015.01.010.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26003764 (View on PubMed)

Pouldar TM, Maher DP, Betz AW, Wiegers JJ, Friedman JA, Zaidi SS, Rejali A, Tran HP, Yumul R, Louy C. Adverse Effects Associated with Patient-Controlled Analgesia with Ketamine Combined with Opioids and Ketamine Infusion with PCA Bolus in Postoperative Spine Patients: A Retrospective Review. J Pain Res. 2022 Oct 10;15:3127-3135. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S358770. eCollection 2022.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36247824 (View on PubMed)

Seman MT, Malan SH, Buras MR, Butterfield RJ, Harold KL, Madura JA, Rosenfeld DM, Gorlin AW. Low-Dose Ketamine Infusion for Perioperative Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial. Anesthesiol Res Pract. 2021 Jul 21;2021:5520517. doi: 10.1155/2021/5520517. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34335740 (View on PubMed)

Puzio TJ, Klugh J, Wandling MW, Green C, Balogh J, Prater SJ, Stephens CT, Sergot PB, Wade CE, Kao LS, Harvin JA. Ketamine for acute pain after trauma: the KAPT randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2022 Jul 27;23(1):599. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06511-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35897081 (View on PubMed)

Schwenk ES, Viscusi ER, Buvanendran A, Hurley RW, Wasan AD, Narouze S, Bhatia A, Davis FN, Hooten WM, Cohen SP. Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Acute Pain Management From the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Jul;43(5):456-466. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000806.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29870457 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

https://www.pirogov-center.ru/english/about/

Official website of the Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

NMSC-01-25

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.