Pain, PostoperativePhase 2CMAPTPtDCSNCT03005548
Cortical Modulation of Acute Post-thoracotomy Pain With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
A Phase 2 study testing Transcranial direct current stimulation and Morphine in people with Pain, Postoperative, run by Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia at 1 site in Serbia.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this single center, prospective, randomized, double blind clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with patient controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine, on intravenous morphine use for postoperative analgesia after… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Pain, Postoperative
- What is being tested?
- Transcranial direct current stimulation and Morphine
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 62 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSerbia
- Study dates
- Jun 2016to Jan 2018
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Subject is willing and able to provide written informed consent,
- Subject is 18-80 years old,
- Subject needs thoracotomy for confirmed malignant lung disease,
- Subject is extubated in the operating room
Who cannot join
- Subject is pregnant
- Subject is in treatment for psychiatric disease
- Subject is in treatment for neurological disease
- Subject is in treatment for chronic pain
- Subject has history of current or past alcohol or Street Drug abuse
- Subject has received chemotherapy
Show all 11Show fewer
- Subject has history of previous thoracic or cardiac surgery
- Subject is allergic to medications that will be used in the study
- Subject has pacemaker or automatic implantable cardioverter/defibrillator
- Subject has implants or any other devices in the head, the spinal cord or peripheral nerves
- Subject has confirmed brain lesion, including tumor or metastasis
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The primary objective of this single center, prospective, randomized, double blind clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with patient controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine, on intravenous morphine use for postoperative analgesia after thoracotomy. The intervention group will receive treatment with anodal tDCS, whereas the control group will receive sham stimulation.
Read the detailed description
tDCS has been used for treatment of chronic pain states, but experience with the use of tDCS for treatment of acute postoperative pain is limited. tDCS has been used for postoperative analgesia after lumbar spine surgery, total knee arthroplasty and for post-procedural pain after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
This study investigates the effects of tDCS vs. sham stimulation combined with IV morphine PCA on postoperative morphine consumption for analgesia after thoracotomy for lung cancer.
Patients with malignant lung disease requiring thoracotomy will be randomly assigned to active stimulation or sham stimulation in a double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel design clinical trial. Each group will receive IV morphine PCA and tDCS vs. IV morphine PCA and sham stimulation daily, starting with arrival in the post-anesthesia care unit on the day of surgery and continuing for the first four postoperative days. Anodal tDCS with direct current at intensity 2 mA will be delivered for 20 minutes on five consecutive days, whereas sham stimulation will last for 30 seconds.
Morphine consumption, the number of analgesia demands, and pain intensity at rest, during movement and with cough will be recorded at predetermined time intervals as follows: After surgery, when VAS pain score at rest falls below 30 mm, tDCS will be applied. VAS pain will be measured immediately before the intervention (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1), and then regularly every one hour for the four hours (Т2-Т5), and then every six hours (Т6-Т9) for five days.
- Conditions
- Pain, Postoperative
- Being tested
- Transcranial direct current stimulation, Morphine
- Keywords
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Pain Postoperative, Thoracotomy
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Postoperative
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Transcranial direct current stimulationDevice
Also called tDCS
Transcranial direct current stimulation. All eligible patients will be treated with patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia by PCA (PCA pump (CADD-Legacy PCA Pump, Deltec, Inc.) IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.).
Device: wireless tDCS (StarStim, NeuroElectrics) non-invasive brain stimulation with a pair of electrodes with saline-soaked pads for delivery of direct current at intensity 2 mA for 20 mins.
MorphineDrug
In Sham comparator group All eligible patients will be treated with patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia (PCA) (PCA pump (CADD-Legacy PCA Pump (Deltec, Inc.) morphine IV bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins).
Device: wireless tDCS (StarStim, NeuroElectrics) non-invasive brain stimulation with a pair of electrodes with saline-soaked pads for delivery of direct current at intensity 2 mA for 30s at the beginning.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS | Experimental | Experimental: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Patients assigned to the active treatment group (n=31) will receive IV morphine followed by IV morphine PCA (IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.), preceded by tDCS (20 minutes of 2 milliamperes (mA) anodal tDCS over the ipsilateral cortex for 5days/week). Receives: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation; Drug: Morphine |
| Sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Sham Control Group: Patients assigned to the control group (n=31) will receive IV morphine followed by IV morphine PCA (IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.), preceded by sham tDCS stimulation (30 sec over the ipsilateral cortex, 5 days/week). Receives: Drug: Morphine |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Amount of morphine used for treatment of pain after thoracotomy in a group of patients receiving tDCS combined with intravenous morphine PCA compared with a group of patients receiving sham stimulation combined with intravenous morphine PCA.
Daily during five postoperative days
Measured: Five days
Secondary outcomes (1)
Pain scores measured using visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest, during movement and during cough in patients receiving tDCS combined and IV morphine PCA compared with patients receiving sham stimulation and IV morphine PCA.
After surgery, when VAS pain score at rest falls below 30 mm, tDCS will be applied. VAS pain will be measured immediately before the intervention (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1), and then regularly every one hour for the four hours (Т2-Т5), and then every six hours (Т6-Т9) for five days.
Measured: Five days
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Dec 2016 (estimated)
- Study startJun 2016
- Primary completionDec 2017
- Study completionJan 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Pain, PostoperativeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dusica Stamenkovic, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia
- Investigators
- Tihomir V Ilic, MD, PhD, Study chair, Military Medical Academy, BulgariaDusica M Stamenkovic, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Military Medical Academy, Bulgaria
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03005548
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- MF-VMA// 07.12.2015.
- Acronym
- CMAPTPtDCS
- Status last verified
- Mar 2018
- First submitted
- 24 Dec 2016
- Last updated
- 29 Mar 2018
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Dubois PE, Ossemann M, de Fays K, De Bue P, Gourdin M, Jamart J, Vandermeeren Y. Postoperative analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation in lumbar spine surgery: a randomized control trial. Clin J Pain. 2013 Aug;29(8):696-701. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31826fb302.
PubMed 23719070Borckardt JJ, Reeves ST, Robinson SM, May JT, Epperson TI, Gunselman RJ, Schutte HD, Demos HA, Madan A, Fredrich S, George MS. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reduces postsurgical opioid consumption in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Clin J Pain. 2013 Nov;29(11):925-8. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31827e32be.
PubMed 23370085Borckardt JJ, Romagnuolo J, Reeves ST, Madan A, Frohman H, Beam W, George MS. Feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation for decreasing post-ERCP pain: a randomized, sham-controlled, pilot study. Gastrointest Endosc. 2011 Jun;73(6):1158-64. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2011.01.050. Epub 2011 Apr 5.
PubMed 21470608Stamenkovic DM, Mladenovic K, Rancic N, Cvijanovic V, Maric N, Neskovic V, Zeba S, Karanikolas M, Ilic TV. Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Patient-Controlled Intravenous Morphine Analgesia on Analgesic Use and Post-Thoracotomy Pain. A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled, Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trial. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Feb 25;11:125. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00125. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 32161547
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Mar 2018. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Cortical Modulation of Acute Post-thoracotomy Pain With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03005548
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CMAPTPtDCS / MF-VMA// 07.12.2015.
- Conditions
- Pain, Postoperative
- Keywords
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Pain Postoperative, Thoracotomy
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 62 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, SerbiaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jun 2016
- Primary completion
- Dec 2017 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jan 2018 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Dec 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this single center, prospective, randomized, double blind clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with patient controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine, on intravenous morphine use for postoperative analgesia after thoracotomy. The intervention group will receive treatment with anodal tDCS, whereas the control group will receive sham stimulation.
Detailed description
tDCS has been used for treatment of chronic pain states, but experience with the use of tDCS for treatment of acute postoperative pain is limited. tDCS has been used for postoperative analgesia after lumbar spine surgery, total knee arthroplasty and for post-procedural pain after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
This study investigates the effects of tDCS vs. sham stimulation combined with IV morphine PCA on postoperative morphine consumption for analgesia after thoracotomy for lung cancer.
Patients with malignant lung disease requiring thoracotomy will be randomly assigned to active stimulation or sham stimulation in a double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel design clinical trial. Each group will receive IV morphine PCA and tDCS vs. IV morphine PCA and sham stimulation daily, starting with arrival in the post-anesthesia care unit on the day of surgery and continuing for the first four postoperative days. Anodal tDCS with direct current at intensity 2 mA will be delivered for 20 minutes on five consecutive days, whereas sham stimulation will last for 30 seconds.
Morphine consumption, the number of analgesia demands, and pain intensity at rest, during movement and with cough will be recorded at predetermined time intervals as follows: After surgery, when VAS pain score at rest falls below 30 mm, tDCS will be applied. VAS pain will be measured immediately before the intervention (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1), and then regularly every one hour for the four hours (Т2-Т5), and then every six hours (Т6-Т9) for five days.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS | Experimental | Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation, Drug: MorphineExperimental: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Patients assigned to the active treatment group (n=31) will receive IV morphine followed by IV morphine PCA (IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.), preceded by tDCS (20 minutes of 2 milliamperes (mA) anodal tDCS over the ipsilateral cortex for 5days/week). |
| Sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Drug: MorphineSham Control Group: Patients assigned to the control group (n=31) will receive IV morphine followed by IV morphine PCA (IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.), preceded by sham tDCS stimulation (30 sec over the ipsilateral cortex, 5 days/week). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Subject is willing and able to provide written informed consent,
- Subject is 18-80 years old,
- Subject needs thoracotomy for confirmed malignant lung disease,
- Subject is extubated in the operating room
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Subject is pregnant
- Subject is in treatment for psychiatric disease
- Subject is in treatment for neurological disease
- Subject is in treatment for chronic pain
- Subject has history of current or past alcohol or Street Drug abuse
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Transcranial direct current stimulationAlso: tDCSTranscranial direct current stimulation. All eligible patients will be treated with patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia by PCA (PCA pump (CADD-Legacy PCA Pump, Deltec, Inc.) IV morphine bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins.). Device: wireless tDCS (StarStim, NeuroElectrics) non-invasive brain stimulation with a pair of electrodes with saline-soaked pads for delivery of direct current at intensity 2 mA for 20 mins. | Device | Active tDCS |
| MorphineIn Sham comparator group All eligible patients will be treated with patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia (PCA) (PCA pump (CADD-Legacy PCA Pump (Deltec, Inc.) morphine IV bolus 1 mg, lockout time 10 mins). Device: wireless tDCS (StarStim, NeuroElectrics) non-invasive brain stimulation with a pair of electrodes with saline-soaked pads for delivery of direct current at intensity 2 mA for 30s at the beginning. | Drug | Active tDCS, Sham tDCS |
Primary outcome
Amount of morphine used for treatment of pain after thoracotomy in a group of patients receiving tDCS combined with intravenous morphine PCA compared with a group of patients receiving sham stimulation combined with intravenous morphine PCA.
Time frame: Five days
Daily during five postoperative days
1 secondary outcome
Pain scores measured using visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest, during movement and during cough in patients receiving tDCS combined and IV morphine PCA compared with patients receiving sham stimulation and IV morphine PCA.
Time frame: Five days
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Mar 2018.
- Results publication: PubMed 23719070Dubois PE, Ossemann M, de Fays K, De Bue P, Gourdin M, Jamart J, Vandermeeren Y. Postoperative analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation in lumbar spine surgery: a randomized control trial. Clin J Pain. 2013 Aug;29(8):696-701. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31826fb302.
- Results publication: PubMed 23370085Borckardt JJ, Reeves ST, Robinson SM, May JT, Epperson TI, Gunselman RJ, Schutte HD, Demos HA, Madan A, Fredrich S, George MS. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reduces postsurgical opioid consumption in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Clin J Pain. 2013 Nov;29(11):925-8. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31827e32be.
- Results publication: PubMed 21470608Borckardt JJ, Romagnuolo J, Reeves ST, Madan A, Frohman H, Beam W, George MS. Feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation for decreasing post-ERCP pain: a randomized, sham-controlled, pilot study. Gastrointest Endosc. 2011 Jun;73(6):1158-64. doi: 10.1016/j.gie.2011.01.050. Epub 2011 Apr 5.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 32161547Stamenkovic DM, Mladenovic K, Rancic N, Cvijanovic V, Maric N, Neskovic V, Zeba S, Karanikolas M, Ilic TV. Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Patient-Controlled Intravenous Morphine Analgesia on Analgesic Use and Post-Thoracotomy Pain. A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled, Proof-of-Concept Clinical Trial. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Feb 25;11:125. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00125. eCollection 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Tihomir V Ilic, MD, PhD study chair
Military Medical Academy, Bulgaria
Dusica M Stamenkovic, MD, PhD principal investigator
Military Medical Academy, Bulgaria
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Transcranial direct current stimulation and Morphine in people with Pain, Postoperative, run by Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia at 1 site in Serbia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Mar 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Serbia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Amount of morphine used for treatment of pain after thoracotomy in a group of patients receiving tDCS combined with intravenous morphine PCA compared with a group of patients receiving sham stimulation combined with intravenous morphine PCA. (time frame: Five days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03005548, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Mar 2018; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.