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Pain, ProceduralPhase 4INK-MPNCT06284473

Ketamine as a Supplement to Local Anesthesia for Minor Procedures

A Phase 4 study testing Ketamine and Saline in people with Pain, Procedural and Minor Laceration, run by Loyola University at 1 site in United States.

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

This trial is a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial of adults and children (ages 7 to less than 70 years). Patients who present to the ED and who undergo minor bedside procedures that require local anesthesia will be divided into two groups: The first group will be treated with 0.7 mg/kg intranasal… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 7 to 70 years
Conditions the study is for
Pain, Procedural, Minor Laceration, Abscess
What is being tested?
Ketamine and Saline
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
108 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
25 May 2022to 31 May 2028
Phase
Phase 4
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 7 to 70 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Undergoing Minor Procedure in the ED
  • Weight not to exceed 115kg

Who cannot join

  • Altered Mental Status
  • Pregnancy
  • Breastfeeding
  • Acute head or eye injury
  • Intercranial Hypertension
  • Hx of seizures
Show all 12Show fewer
  • Hx of chronic pain
  • Unstable vital signs
  • Allergy to Ketamine
  • Hepatic or Renal Insufficiency
  • Hx of Psychiatric Illness
  • Hx of alcohol/drug abuse

Trial locations and contacts

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

Shannon Lovett, MD contact

708-327-2549

slovett@lumc.edu

Trent Reed, DO contact

708-216-4117

treed1@lumc.edu

United States1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Loyola University Medical Center

    Maywood, Illinois, 60153

    Shannon Lovett, MD, 8479512936, slovett@lumc.edu

    Trent Reed, DO, 708-216-4117, treed1@lumc.edu

    Recruiting

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Intranasal Ketamine as a Supplement to Local Anesthesia to Reduce Pain Associated With Minor Procedures in the Emergency Department

This trial is a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial of adults and children (ages 7 to less than 70 years). Patients who present to the ED and who undergo minor bedside procedures that require local anesthesia will be divided into two groups: The first group will be treated with 0.7 mg/kg intranasal ketamine as well as standard local anesthesia for the procedure (treatment cohort). The second group will be treated with a volume-based dose of intranasal saline solution as well as standard local anesthesia for the procedure (control cohort). The primary aim is to assess whether patients in the treatment cohort report lower pain scores on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS-100) when compared to patients in the control cohort. For adult patients, a secondary aim is to compare agitation between the two cohorts using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) and, for pediatric patients, a secondary aim is to compare alertness between the two cohorts using the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS).

Results obtained from specific procedures will be analyzed on a spectrum of complexity and general length of recovery time. Scientific achievements may include finding a safe and effective way to reduce pain and discomfort during minor procedures in the Emergency Department. Additionally, it would provide opportunities for more research on sub-dissociative doses of ketamine during minor procedures: a topic in which there is still a gap in the published research

Read the detailed description

Patient experiences in the emergency department (ED) are commonly painful and uncomfortable, particularly when patients must undergo procedures. Managing acute pain and procedural pain for minor procedures in the ED can be challenging. Ketamine is an N-methyl-D aspartate receptor agonist gaining popularity in clinical settings and has also been shown in several studies to potentially treat depression. Several randomized clinical studies have shown that ketamine is a comparable pain relief medication to opioid analgesics in both acute pain and traumatic settings. Its uses for pain control in the ED have been extensively studied with evidence supporting its safety and efficacy. Ketamine can be administered in different ways including intravenously and intranasally. Intravenously, doses above 1 mg/kg of ketamine can induce dissociation- this dose is commonly used for procedural sedation. At lower doses, specifically sub-dissociative doses, ketamine (SDK) acts to alleviate pain (cancerous, neuropathic, and perioperative). Trials using intravenous SDK suggest efficacy similar to traditional intravenous opioid analgesics.

SDK is currently being utilized by emergency medicine physicians in the ED for pain control in doses up to 0.3 mg/kg intravenously and up to 1 mg/kg intranasally. Additionally, the use of SDK in the ED is also supported by the American College of Emergency Physicians. While the literature has extensively documented and supported the safety and efficacy of SDK, there is a gap in the literature for its use in the management of pain for minor procedures in the ED. Intranasal ketamine may be a valuable supplement to standard medical treatment in procedures that would not normally require intravenous access. Minor procedures requiring local anesthesia performed in the ED can still be painful including but not limited to suturing, incision and drainage of an abscess, and digital blocks. Traditionally, many of these procedures are completed using only local anesthesia. Soft tissue and/or very large abscess are sometimes not alleviated by local anesthesia alone. The use of intranasal ketamine to alleviate pain during these and other painful procedures may provide patients with more comfort and pain relief than local anesthesia alone. Dosing for chronic pain and acute pain differ in that chronic pain typically requires higher doses than acute pain. Side effects are related to ketamine dosage and administration type. Thus, patients treated for chronic pain with higher doses of SDK often experience more side effects than patients with acute pain treated with lower doses of SDK. Additionally, compared to placebo and opioid groups in various studies, ketamine was associated with greater risk of neurological, psychological, and minor cardiologic effects. However, the opioid groups typically had a higher risk for major cardiopulmonary effects. The most common side effect of intranasal SDK are bad taste in the mouth, dizziness, and sleepiness. A dose of 0.7 mg/kg IN ketamine has been determined to be a suitable analgesic dose for patients with pain in the ED. While studies have shown the efficacy and safety of using ketamine for pain control, no studies to date have looked at its possible use to decrease pain during minor procedures in the ED.

The investigators aim to determine if a sub-dissociative dose of 0.7 mg/kg intranasal ketamine is a desirable choice to reduce pain associated with minor procedures requiring local anesthesia in the ED. These procedures include incision and drainage of an abscess, laceration repairs requiring sutures, nerve blocks (specifically digital nerve blocks), and other minor procedures requiring local anesthesia. The investigators hypothesize that adult and pediatric patients presenting to the ED and undergoing painful minor procedures will report lower pain scores when treated with 0.7 mg/kg intranasal ketamine in addition to standard local anesthesia than patients who receive a volume-based dose of saline solution with standard local anesthesia (control). Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that patients in the treatment cohort will report few side-effects as measured by the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS)(i.e., for adult patients) or University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) (i.e., for pediatric patients). The minor procedures listed above typically require the use of local anesthesia but do not typically require intravenous access. Thus, the use of intranasal ketamine instead of intravenous analgesia minimizes the changes that would be made to the current standard of carrying out these procedures.

In order to avoid a potential confounder of variation in baseline pain severity of the different procedures, only patients undergoing minor procedures that have a similar pain profile will be randomized. Additional aims of the study include decreasing perceived agitation using RASS or UMSS. Collecting data on pain and total discomfort using the NRS-100 point pain scale will provide a unidimensional measurement of patients' subjective interpretation of their pain. The investigators hope to demonstrate that using ketamine at 0.7 mg/kg for associated pain during minor procedures is efficacious and minimizes adverse side effects of ketamine.

Being tested
Ketamine, Saline
Keywords
IN Ketamine, Sub-dissociative dose, Minor procedure
Medical subject headings
Pain, Procedural, Abscess

What participants receive

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

  • KetamineDrug

    Ketamine is an N-methyl-D aspartate receptor agonist

  • SalineOther

    Also called Placebo

    Intranasal saline flushes pollen, dust, and other debris from nasal passages. It also removes excess mucus and adds moisture

Study groups in NCT06284473
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Intranasal KetamineExperimentalParticipants assigned to this arm will receive intranasal ketamine administered at 0.7mg/kg along with normal lidocaine local sedation
Receives: Drug: Ketamine
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorParticipants assigned to this arm will receive volume-based dose of intranasal saline administered along with normal lidocaine local sedation
Receives: Other: Saline

What is being measured

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

  1. Immediate pain

    Pain will be measured using the numeric rating scale which is a scale ranging from 0 to 100, where higher values report greater pain

    Measured: 15 minutes

  2. Acute pain

    Pain will be measured using the numeric rating scale which is a scale ranging from 0 to 100, where higher values report greater pain

    Measured: 30 minutes

  3. Delayed pain

    Pain will be measured using the numeric rating scale which is a scale ranging from 0 to 100, where higher values report greater pain

    Measured: 60 minutes

Secondary outcomes (6)
  1. Immediate agitation

    For adults, agitation will be measured using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) which is a 10-point scale (range: -5 to +4), where higher scores reflect greater agitation.

    Measured: 15 minutes

  2. Acute agitation

    For adults, agitation will be measured using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) which is a 10-point scale (range: -5 to +4), where higher scores reflect greater agitation.

    Measured: 30 minutes

  3. Delayed agitation

    For adults, agitation will be measured using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) which is a 10-point scale (range: -5 to +4), where higher scores reflect greater agitation.

    Measured: 60 minutes

  4. Immediate alertness

    For pediatric patients, agitation will be measured using the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) which assesses the level of alertness on a five-point scale ranging from 0 (awake and alert) to 4 (unarousable).

    Measured: 15 minutes

  5. Acute alertness

    For pediatric patients, agitation will be measured using the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) which assesses the level of alertness on a five-point scale ranging from 0 (awake and alert) to 4 (unarousable).

    Measured: 30 minutes

  6. Delayed alertness

    For pediatric patients, agitation will be measured using the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) which assesses the level of alertness on a five-point scale ranging from 0 (awake and alert) to 4 (unarousable).

    Measured: 60 minutes

Timeline

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

  1. First posted29 Feb 2024
  2. Study start25 May 2022
  3. Primary completion31 May 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 May 2028 (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 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Patients presenting to the emergency department at Loyola University Medical Center for a minor medical procedure requiring local anesthesia will be randomly assigned to receive either standard local anesthesia with 0.7 mg/kg intranasal ketamine before the procedure or to standard local anesthesia with volume-based dose saline before the procedure using a 1:1 random block allocation.
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
108 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06284473
Sponsor's protocol ID
212154
Acronym
INK-MP
Status last verified
Sep 2025
First submitted
22 Feb 2024
Last updated
3 Oct 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: There is no plan to share individual participant data with other researchers

Publications

  • Shimonovich S, Gigi R, Shapira A, Sarig-Meth T, Nadav D, Rozenek M, West D, Halpern P. Intranasal ketamine for acute traumatic pain in the Emergency Department: a prospective, randomized clinical trial of efficacy and safety. BMC Emerg Med. 2016 Nov 9;16(1):43. doi: 10.1186/s12873-016-0107-0.

    PubMed 27829367
  • Beaudoin FL, Lin C, Guan W, Merchant RC. Low-dose ketamine improves pain relief in patients receiving intravenous opioids for acute pain in the emergency department: results of a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. Acad Emerg Med. 2014 Nov;21(11):1193-202. doi: 10.1111/acem.12510.

    PubMed 25377395
  • Motov S, Rockoff B, Cohen V, Pushkar I, Likourezos A, McKay C, Soleyman-Zomalan E, Homel P, Terentiev V, Fromm C. Intravenous Subdissociative-Dose Ketamine Versus Morphine for Analgesia in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Emerg Med. 2015 Sep;66(3):222-229.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2015.03.004. Epub 2015 Mar 26.

    PubMed 25817884
  • Zekry O, Gibson SB, Aggarwal A. Subanesthetic, Subcutaneous Ketamine Infusion Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2016 Jun;30(2):91-8. doi: 10.3109/15360288.2016.1161690. Epub 2016 Apr 19.

    PubMed 27092576
  • Hanna AF, Armstrong JS, Smith AJ. Effects of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions in a Neuropathic Pain Patient with Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus. Case Rep Dermatol. 2016 Jun 6;8(2):164-70. doi: 10.1159/000446528. eCollection 2016 May-Aug.

    PubMed 27462225
  • Miller JP, Schauer SG, Ganem VJ, Bebarta VS. Low-dose ketamine vs morphine for acute pain in the ED: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Emerg Med. 2015 Mar;33(3):402-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2014.12.058. Epub 2015 Jan 7.

    PubMed 25624076
  • Karlow N, Schlaepfer CH, Stoll CRT, Doering M, Carpenter CR, Colditz GA, Motov S, Miller J, Schwarz ES. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Ketamine as an Alternative to Opioids for Acute Pain in the Emergency Department. Acad Emerg Med. 2018 Oct;25(10):1086-1097. doi: 10.1111/acem.13502. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

    PubMed 30019434
  • Optimizing the Treatment of Acute Pain in the Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2017 Sep;70(3):446-448. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.06.043. No abstract available.

    PubMed 28844277
  • Payne CG, Edbrooke DL, Davies GK. Minor procedures in the accident and emergency department: can Entonox help? Arch Emerg Med. 1991 Mar;8(1):24-32. doi: 10.1136/emj.8.1.24.

    PubMed 1854389
  • Allen CA, Ivester JR Jr. Ketamine for Pain Management-Side Effects & Potential Adverse Events. Pain Manag Nurs. 2017 Dec;18(6):372-377. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2017.05.006. Epub 2017 Jul 23.

    PubMed 28743507
  • Lee EN, Lee JH. The Effects of Low-Dose Ketamine on Acute Pain in an Emergency Setting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2016 Oct 27;11(10):e0165461. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165461. eCollection 2016.

    PubMed 27788221
  • Reynolds SL, Studnek JR, Bryant K, VanderHave K, Grossman E, Moore CG, Young J, Hogg M, Runyon MS. Study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of intranasal ketamine compared with intranasal fentanyl for analgesia in children with suspected, isolated extremity fractures in the paediatric emergency department. BMJ Open. 2016 Sep 8;6(9):e012190. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012190.

    PubMed 27609854
  • Shrestha R, Pant S, Shrestha A, Batajoo KH, Thapa R, Vaidya S. Intranasal ketamine for the treatment of patients with acute pain in the emergency department. World J Emerg Med. 2016;7(1):19-24. doi: 10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2016.01.003.

    PubMed 27006733
  • Reynolds SL, Bryant KK, Studnek JR, Hogg M, Dunn C, Templin MA, Moore CG, Young JR, Walker KR, Runyon MS. Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial of Intranasal Ketamine Compared to Intranasal Fentanyl for Analgesia in Children with Suspected Extremity Fractures. Acad Emerg Med. 2017 Dec;24(12):1430-1440. doi: 10.1111/acem.13313. Epub 2017 Nov 3.

    PubMed 28926159
  • Bouida W, Bel Haj Ali K, Ben Soltane H, Msolli MA, Boubaker H, Sekma A, Beltaief K, Grissa MH, Methamem M, Boukef R, Belguith A, Nouira S. Effect on Opioids Requirement of Early Administration of Intranasal Ketamine for Acute Traumatic Pain. Clin J Pain. 2020 Jun;36(6):458-462. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000000821.

    PubMed 32080000

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing Ketamine and Saline in people with Pain, Procedural and Minor Laceration, run by Loyola University at 1 site in United States.

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 2 inclusion and 12 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 3 Oct 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 United States. 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 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

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 Shannon Lovett, MD (708-327-2549, slovett@lumc.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Immediate pain (time frame: 15 minutes). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT06284473, which also lists 15 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 3 Oct 2025.

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