Back Pain With RadiationNCT05372822
Burst Crossover Trial
A study testing Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation and SCS implant in people with Back Pain With Radiation and Pain, Postoperative, run by St. Olavs Hospital at 1 site in Norway.
Trial summary
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a widely applied therapy to treat chronic neuropathic pain, and one of the most common indications is persisting radicular neuropathic pain following lumbar spine surgery. In traditional SCS therapies, the objective has been to replace the pain sensation with paresthesia. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Back Pain With Radiation, Pain, Postoperative
- What is being tested?
- Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation and SCS implant
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Medical device, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteNorway
- Study dates
- 1 May 2021to 15 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have undergone ≥1 back surgeries and developed chronic radicular pain that has remained refractory to non-surgical treatment for ≥6 months
- Minimum pain intensity of 5/10 on the leg pain NRS at baseline
- Successful two-week SCS testing period with tonic stimulation (≥2 points reduction in leg pain NRS from baseline). This means patients will experience paresthesia during the SCS trial period
- Mandatory assessment at the Multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for back-, neck- and shoulder rehabilitation, St. Olavs University Hospital
- Successful two-week SCS testing period with tonic stimulation (≥50% reduction in leg pain NRS from baseline). This means patients will experience paresthesia during the SCS trial period
Who cannot join
- Coexisting conditions that would increase procedural risk (e.g., sepsis, coagulopathy)
- History of laminectomy or posterior fusion at the thoracolumbar junction, where percutaneous electrode end tips are routinely placed.
- Abnormal pain behavior and/or unresolved psychiatric illness.
- Unresolved issues of secondary gain or inappropriate medication use.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Spinal Cord Burst Stimulation for Chronic Radicular Pain Following Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Randomized Double-blind Sham-controlled Crossover Trial
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a widely applied therapy to treat chronic neuropathic pain, and one of the most common indications is persisting radicular neuropathic pain following lumbar spine surgery. In traditional SCS therapies, the objective has been to replace the pain sensation with paresthesia. The anticipation is that the electrical current alters pain processing by masking the sensation of pain with a comfortable tingling or paresthesia. Although patients mostly cope with paresthesia, a significant proportion reports that the sensation is unpleasant.
'Burst' SCS utilizes complex programming to deliver high-frequency stimuli. This SCS technique seems to provide paresthesia-free stimulation, resulting in better pain relief of low back and leg pain then traditional tonic stimulation.
Read more
The widespread use of SCS has not been backed by solid evidence. The absence of placebo-controlled trials has long been an important point of criticism, but due to the nature of the intervention with sensation of paresthesia, studies with placebo control have so far not been considered possible. When 'burst' SCS is used the stimulation is often unnoticed by the patient, allowing comparison with placebo stimulation.
The aim of this randomized double-blind sham-controlled crossover trial is to evaluate the efficacy of 'burst' spinal cord stimulation for chronic radicular pain following spine surgery.
- Conditions
- Back Pain With Radiation, Pain, Postoperative
- Being tested
- Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation, Sham spinal cord stimulation, SCS implant
- Keywords
- Lumbar Vertebrae, Surgery, Postoperational Complications, Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Medical subject headings
- Back Pain, Pain, Postoperative
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Burst Spinal Cord StimulationProcedure or surgery
Burst stimulation utilizes complex programming to deliver high-frequency stimuli of a 40 Hz burst mode with 5 spikes at 500 Hz per spike delivered in a constant current mode
Sham spinal cord stimulationProcedure or surgery
No spinal cord stimulation is provided
SCS implantDevice
a subcutaneously implantable pulse generator ("pacemaker") for long-term therapy.
The following system from Abbott will be implanted: ProclaimTM XR implantable pulse generator and Octrode® 8-contact lead
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Burst SCS | Experimental | Burst Spinal cord stimulation. SCS system implanted and burst stimulation given Receives: Procedure: Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation; Procedure: Sham spinal cord stimulation; Device: SCS implant |
| Sham SCS | Sham comparator | Sham spinal cord stimulation. SCS system implanted but no stimulation given. Receives: Procedure: Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation; Procedure: Sham spinal cord stimulation; Device: SCS implant |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
change in disease-specific functional outcome from baseline
measured with version 2.0 of the Oswestry disability index (ODI) that has been translated into Norwegian and tested for psychometric properties. The ODI questionnaire quantifies disability for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine and covers intensity of pain, ability to lift, ability to care for oneself, ability to walk, ability to sit, sexual function, ability to stand, social life, sleep quality, and ability to travel. The index is scored from 0 to 100. Zero means no disability and 100 reflects maximum disability.
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (5)
Change in generic health-related quality of life measured with the Euro-Qol-5D (5L)
Measured: 12 months
Change in back pain
measured using numerical rating scales (NRS)
Measured: 12 months
change in leg pain
measured using numerical rating scales (NRS)
Measured: 12 months
Daily physical activity
measured by use of a body-worn accelerometer (activPALs from PAL Technologies Ltd., Glasgow, United Kingdom) attached by a waterproof tape to the midpoint of the patients' anterior right thigh
Measured: 12 months
Six-month follow-up of pain-related disability
Back pain-related disability, leg pain, back pain, and health-related quality of life at 6 months following completion of the final randomization period when patients are unblinded and provided with handheld spinal cord stimulation programmers allowing changes to stimulation settings and switching between burst and tonic stimulation. Measured with version 2.0 of the Oswestry disability index (ODI), leg pain NRS, back pain NRS, Euro-Qol 5D
Measured: 18 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 May 2022
- Study start1 May 2021
- Primary completion12 Nov 2025
- Study completion15 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Back Pain With RadiationStudies 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 N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- St. Olavs Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Sasha Gulati, md prof, Principal investigator, St. Olavs HospitalGeir Bråthen, md prof, Study director, St. Olavs Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05372822
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2018/475-b
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 9 May 2022
- Last updated
- 20 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Spinal Cord Burst Stimulation for Chronic Radicular Pain Following Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Randomized Double-blind Sham-controlled Crossover Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05372822
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2018/475-b
- Conditions
- Back Pain With Radiation, Pain, Postoperative
- Keywords
- Lumbar Vertebrae, Surgery, Postoperational Complications, Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- St. Olavs HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Study start
- 1 May 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 12 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 May 2022 (actual)
- 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.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a widely applied therapy to treat chronic neuropathic pain, and one of the most common indications is persisting radicular neuropathic pain following lumbar spine surgery. In traditional SCS therapies, the objective has been to replace the pain sensation with paresthesia. The anticipation is that the electrical current alters pain processing by masking the sensation of pain with a comfortable tingling or paresthesia. Although patients mostly cope with paresthesia, a significant proportion reports that the sensation is unpleasant.
'Burst' SCS utilizes complex programming to deliver high-frequency stimuli. This SCS technique seems to provide paresthesia-free stimulation, resulting in better pain relief of low back and leg pain then traditional tonic stimulation.
The widespread use of SCS has not been backed by solid evidence. The absence of placebo-controlled trials has long been an important point of criticism, but due to the nature of the intervention with sensation of paresthesia, studies with placebo control have so far not been considered possible. When 'burst' SCS is used the stimulation is often unnoticed by the patient, allowing comparison with placebo stimulation.
The aim of this randomized double-blind sham-controlled crossover trial is to evaluate the efficacy of 'burst' spinal cord stimulation for chronic radicular pain following spine surgery.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Burst SCS | Experimental | Procedure: Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation, Procedure: Sham spinal cord stimulation, Device: SCS implantBurst Spinal cord stimulation. SCS system implanted and burst stimulation given |
| Sham SCS | Sham comparator | Procedure: Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation, Procedure: Sham spinal cord stimulation, Device: SCS implantSham spinal cord stimulation. SCS system implanted but no stimulation given. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Have undergone ≥1 back surgeries and developed chronic radicular pain that has remained refractory to non-surgical treatment for ≥6 months
- Minimum pain intensity of 5/10 on the leg pain NRS at baseline
- Successful two-week SCS testing period with tonic stimulation (≥2 points reduction in leg pain NRS from baseline). This means patients will experience paresthesia during the SCS trial period
- Mandatory assessment at the Multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for back-, neck- and shoulder rehabilitation, St. Olavs University Hospital
- Successful two-week SCS testing period with tonic stimulation (≥50% reduction in leg pain NRS from baseline). This means patients will experience paresthesia during the SCS trial period
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Coexisting conditions that would increase procedural risk (e.g., sepsis, coagulopathy)
- History of laminectomy or posterior fusion at the thoracolumbar junction, where percutaneous electrode end tips are routinely placed.
- Abnormal pain behavior and/or unresolved psychiatric illness.
- Unresolved issues of secondary gain or inappropriate medication use.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Burst Spinal Cord StimulationBurst stimulation utilizes complex programming to deliver high-frequency stimuli of a 40 Hz burst mode with 5 spikes at 500 Hz per spike delivered in a constant current mode | Procedure or surgery | Burst SCS, Sham SCS |
| Sham spinal cord stimulationNo spinal cord stimulation is provided | Procedure or surgery | Burst SCS, Sham SCS |
| SCS implanta subcutaneously implantable pulse generator ("pacemaker") for long-term therapy. The following system from Abbott will be implanted: ProclaimTM XR implantable pulse generator and Octrode® 8-contact lead | Device | Burst SCS, Sham SCS |
Primary outcome
change in disease-specific functional outcome from baseline
Time frame: 12 months
measured with version 2.0 of the Oswestry disability index (ODI) that has been translated into Norwegian and tested for psychometric properties. The ODI questionnaire quantifies disability for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine and covers intensity of pain, ability to lift, ability to care for oneself, ability to walk, ability to sit, sexual function, ability to stand, social life, sleep quality, and ability to travel. The index is scored from 0 to 100. Zero means no disability and 100 reflects maximum disability.
5 secondary outcomes
Change in generic health-related quality of life measured with the Euro-Qol-5D (5L)
Time frame: 12 months
Change in back pain
Time frame: 12 months
change in leg pain
Time frame: 12 months
Daily physical activity
Time frame: 12 months
Six-month follow-up of pain-related disability
Time frame: 18 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Aug 2026.
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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.
Sasha Gulati, md prof principal investigator
St. Olavs Hospital
Geir Bråthen, md prof study director
St. Olavs Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation and SCS implant in people with Back Pain With Radiation and Pain, Postoperative, run by St. Olavs Hospital at 1 site in Norway.
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 5 inclusion and 4 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Aug 2026. 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 Norway. 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.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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?
change in disease-specific functional outcome from baseline (time frame: 12 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 20 Aug 2026.