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Rib FracturesUNPINNCT05865327

UltrasouNd-guided Percutaneous Intercostal Nerve Cryoneurolysis for Analgesia Following Traumatic Rib Fracture

A study testing Cryoneurolysis in people with Rib Fractures and Rib Fracture Multiple, run by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at 1 site in Canada.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Traumatic rib fractures (i.e., broken ribs caused by a physical injury) are common and very painful. They also often lead to serious complications, more time spent in hospital, and can even lead to death. Even after rib fractures have healed, they can lead to long-term pain and a lower quality of life. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 100 years
What is being tested?
Cryoneurolysis
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
24 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
23 Oct 2023to Dec 2025
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 to 100 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Aged ≥18
  • Unilateral traumatic rib fractures (3 to 8)
  • Candidate for ESP block catheter
  • Within 48hrs of admission to hospital

Who cannot join

  • Lack of patient consent; unlikely to comply with follow up
  • Unable to use Patient Controlled Regional Analgesia (Ventilated/sedated patients or Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury)
  • Chronic pain (opioid use > 30mg oral morphine equivalent per day)
  • Substance use disorder
  • CrCl < 50
  • BMI > 45
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Significant distracting injuries (unreduced long bone fractures, unstable pelvic or spine fractures and patients requiring trauma laparotomy- also preclude positioning for block placement (lateral decubitus or sitting up))
  • Contraindications for ESP catheter placement (pre-existing medical/neurological/hematologic diseases, localized infection/trauma at site of intervention, allergy to amide local anesthetics)
  • Contraindications to CN (cryoglobulinemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, multiple myeloma and cold urticarial).
  • Unable to return to Trauma Recovery Clinic (in-person or virtual) at 3 months

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

    Toronto, Ontario, M4N3M5

    Ben Safa, 416 480 4864, ben.safa@sunnybrook.ca

    Recruiting

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: UltrasouNd-guided Percutaneous Intercostal Nerve Cryoneurolysis for Analgesia Following Traumatic Rib Fracture, a Pilot Randomized Control Trial (UNPIN Trial)

Traumatic rib fractures (i.e., broken ribs caused by a physical injury) are common and very painful. They also often lead to serious complications, more time spent in hospital, and can even lead to death. Even after rib fractures have healed, they can lead to long-term pain and a lower quality of life.

A technology called cryoneurolysis, which acts to freeze nerves causing pain using a small tool which can turn very cold, is a promising new way to manage rib fracture pain. This study is a test with a small number of people to see if it is feasible to use this technology for patients with rib fractures. If this is successful, we will recruit more people for a larger study to see if cryoneurolysis, along with standard pain control techniques, is better at stopping pain, compared to just the normal techniques alone. Participants in our study will be asked to rate their pain, and record pain medications that they take for 3 months after their pain procedure.

Read the detailed description

More than 100,000 people a year suffer from traumatic rib fractures. Pain from rib fractures impairs the ability to inspire deeply and cough effectively, predisposing patients to severe, potentially life threatening complications and increased healthcare costs. For many patients, this pain can also persist long after the acute injury has healed, delaying recovery and reducing quality of life.

Current pain interventions, including multimodal analgesia and local anesthetic-based nerve blocks, are useful, but are limited by a short duration of effectiveness, and/or risk of complications. Cryoneurolysis (CN) is a new method to control pain which acts to freeze intercostal nerves (ICNs) associated with fractured ribs using a handheld device. This freezing action causes neurons to undergo Wallerian degeneration distally from the site of ablation and thus exhibit an extended but reversible block.

This study is a single-site, randomized, pilot study to assess the feasibility of recruitment, randomization, and protocol adherence of providing cryoneurolysis for patients with traumatic rib fractures. Secondary data from the pilot trial designed to assess the effectiveness of the intervention (pain scores, opioid usage, etc.) will be included in the analysis of the full trial if feasible. The objective of the full trial is to demonstrate that cryoneurolysis of ICN, in addition to standard analgesic practice, provides superior, prolonged analgesia.

Participants (individuals aged 18-85, with 3-8 unilateral traumatic rib fractures) will be randomized 1:1 in blocks of 4, stratified by number of rib fractures (> 4 or ≤4) and the presence/absence of flail segment, to receive the current standard of practice for rib fractures (multimodal analgesia and erector spinae plane (ESP) catheter infusion) with or without the addition of CN. Participants in the standard care group will receive a sham CN procedure to maintain blinding.

All participants (both groups) will receive standard of care analgesia. Specifically, an ultrasound-guided ESP catheter will be placed as per standard protocols. 20cc of 0.5% ropivacaine and 1% lidocaine will be injected through the catheter, followed by a basal infusion of 2 cc/hr of 0.2% ropivacaine (to maintain catheter patency) with an on demand patient controlled regional anesthesia (PCRA) dose of 10cc 0.2% ropivacaine available hourly until patient has met criteria for APS discharge or pain is controlled such that PCRA use is < 2 boluses over 12 hrs and NRS < 3 with deep breathing and coughing.

Standard multimodal analgesia including Tylenol 1000mg QID, Celebrex 200mg BID (or ketorolac 7.5 QID), Pregabalin 50mg BID, and/or PRN oral hydromorphone (1-4mg) will also be provided. Additional analgesics include intravenous ketamine at a dose of 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/hr of lean body weight in the event of consistent NRS pain scores > 6, and up to 0.05 mg/kg of intravenous midazolam for anxiolysis and 1mcg/kg of intravenous fentanyl for comfort during positioning, as required.

Participants will remain in the study for 3 months from the date of the block procedure. They will be followed daily while in hospital and using a pain diary following discharge (weekly pain scores and daily opioid usage). Additionally, follow-ups will be completed at 1h, 24h, 48h, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months post block procedure.

Being tested
Cryoneurolysis, Sham Cryoneurolysis
Keywords
Cryoneurolysis, Rib Fracture Pain, Intercostal Nerve Block
Medical subject headings
Rib Fractures, Fractures, Bone, Pain, Acute Pain, Chronic Pain, Wounds and Injuries, Accidental Injuries

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • CryoneurolysisProcedure or surgery

    Cryoneurolysis will be performed on the intercostal nerve associated with each fractured rib using a handheld cryoneurolysis machine (Iovera). Cryoneurolysis will consist of two 103 second cycles (includes cooling, ice ball formation and warming time) per rib fracture level. Ultrasound guidance will be used to identify appropriate rib fracture levels and to target the device tip in real time. All participants will also receive standard multimodal analgesia and ESP catheter infusion.

  • Sham CryoneurolysisProcedure or surgery

    Participants in the control group will receive sham CN (i.e., application of device without skin puncture or activation of unit) to maintain participant blinding. All participants will also receive standard multimodal analgesia and ESP catheter infusion.

Study groups in NCT05865327
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cryoneurolysis GroupExperimentalIn addition to all standard of care analgesia treatments, CN will be performed on the ICN of each broken rib using the Iovera CN device and Generation 2 Iovera tip under ultrasound guidance.
Receives: Procedure: Cryoneurolysis
Standard Care GroupSham comparatorParticipants in the control group will receive all standard of care analgesia treatments as well as sham CN (i.e., application of device without skin puncture or activation of unit) to maintain participant blinding.
Receives: Procedure: Sham Cryoneurolysis

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of participants randomized over an 8 month period

    Goal of 3 participants per month for 8 months

    Measured: Entire pilot study (approximately 8 months)

  2. Number of participants able to adhere to the protocol

    Goal of > 90%

    Measured: Entire pilot study (approximately 8 months + 3 month follow-up)

  3. Number of participants able to adhere to the follow-up

    Goal of > 90%

    Measured: 3 month follow-up

  4. Rate of Adverse events

    Ensure no adverse events (short or long term) associated with CN

    Measured: 3 month follow-up

Secondary outcomes (16)
  1. Pain Severity during deep inspiration 24 hours post ESP catheter placement

    Pain measured using Numeric Pain Rating Scale

    Measured: 24 hours post placement of ESP catheter

  2. Time to discontinuation of ESP catheter

    Based on when patient has met criteria for APS discharge or pain is controlled such that PCRA use is < 2 boluses over 12 hrs and NRS < 3 with deep breathing and coughing

    Measured: Until ESP catheter removal (usually < 7 days)

  3. ESP catheter use

    Cumulative volume of local anesthetic solution used via ESP catheter patient controlled reginal analgesia

    Measured: Until ESP catheter removal (usually < 7 days)

  4. Opioid consumption in hospital and after discharge

    Determined from medical records (in-hospital) and via a daily pain diary (post-discharge). Calculated in Oral Morphine Equivalents.

    Measured: Daily for 90 days after block placement

  5. Pain Intensity at 1 and 3 months

    As measured using Numeric Pain Rating Scale (0-10) , at rest and during deep inspiration

    Measured: 1 and 3 month follow-ups

  6. Oxygen requirements

    Room air oxygen saturation (SpO2) and requirement for supplementary O2 to maintain SpO2 > 92%

    Measured: Pre-intervention, post intervention, then daily until discharge

  7. Pulmonary Function Testing

    FVC

    Measured: Pre-intervention, post intervention, then daily until discharge

  8. Pulmonary Function Testing

    FEV1

    Measured: Pre-intervention, post intervention, then daily until discharge

  9. Pulmonary Function Testing

    Peak Inspiratory flow

    Measured: Pre-intervention, post intervention, then daily until discharge

  10. Pulmonary Function Testing

    Peak Expiratory Flow

    Measured: Pre-intervention, post intervention, then daily until discharge

  11. Length of Stay in hospital

    Hospital discharge date

    Measured: Date of admission to date discharge

  12. Length of Stay on acute pain service (APS)

    Criteria include on oral meds without continuous regional analgesia or intravenous opioids

    Measured: Date of admission to date of discharge from acute pain service

  13. Time to achieve discharge criteria for isolated chest injury

    Criteria include on oral meds without continuous regional analgesia, chest tube out and chest well evacuated (e.g. no evidence of retained hemothorax), and no supplemental O2

    Measured: Date of admission until discharge criteria met

  14. Patient satisfaction

    Patient satisfaction assessed using Patients' Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale

    Measured: 48 post block procedure, and 1 week, 1 month and 3 month follow-ups

  15. Incidence of chronic rib fracture pain

    As assessed using Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) questionnaire

    Measured: 3 month follow-up

  16. Adverse events

    Adverse events to be recorded include: local anesthetic complications, catheter related complications (clotting, migration), procedural complications (pneumothorax, bleeding, infection), and neurological disturbances (dysesthesia, hyperalgesia, allodynia) in area of rib fracture

    Measured: until 3 month follow-up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted18 May 2023
  2. Study start23 Oct 2023
  3. Primary completionDec 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2025 (estimated)

Resources

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
Parallel groups
Model description
Single-centre, prospective, parallel, randomized, blinded (participant, data collectors/analysts) pilot feasibility trial
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
24 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05865327
Sponsor's protocol ID
5715
Acronym
UNPIN
Status last verified
Sep 2025
First submitted
25 Apr 2023
Last updated
12 Sep 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: De-identified participant-level data will be made available upon reasonable request to study PI following publication of full trial results.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Cryoneurolysis in people with Rib Fractures and Rib Fracture Multiple, run by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at 1 site in Canada.

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 10 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Sep 2025. 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 Canada. 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?

Contact Ben Safa, MD (416-480-4864, ben.safa@sunnybrook.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of participants randomized over an 8 month period (time frame: Entire pilot study (approximately 8 months)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. 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 12 Sep 2025.

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