Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) ReconstructionPhase 2NCT06559215
Evaluation of Pain Management After Surgery When Using Exparel in the Pediatric Population
A Phase 2 study testing Exparel in people with Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) Reconstruction and Sports Injuries in Children, run by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to determine if administration of Exparel via local infiltration for medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction procedures in pediatric orthopaedic sports medicine patients provides significant pain relief and decreased narcotic use. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 13 to 21 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) Reconstruction, Sports Injuries in Children, Analgesia
- What is being tested?
- Exparel
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2025to Sep 2028
- Phase
- Phase 2
- 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 13 to 21 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Must be aged 13+ years at time of surgery
- Must present with injury requiring an isolated MPFL Reconstruction
- Ability to provide assent, legally appointed representative available to provide informed consent
Who cannot join
- Patient <13 years old
- Requires fracture repair or another non-standardized surgery
- Any MPFL Reconstruction that requires the use of arthrotomy or a tibial tubercle osteotomy
- Any lower extremity procedure that is not an isolated MPFL Reconstruction
- Patient pregnancy
- Inability to provide assent or legally appointed representative to provide informed consent
- Prior history of hypersensitivity to Exparel or any local anesthesia
- BMI ≥ 40
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Frisco, Texas, 75034
Robert Van Pelt, MPH, 214-559-7456, bobby.vanpelt@tsrh.org
Anna Wilhelmy, MS, 469-857-2109, anna.wilhelmy@tsrh.org
About this study
Official title: Prospective Evaluation of Post-operative Pain Management Using Exparel in the Pediatric Population
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to determine if administration of Exparel via local infiltration for medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction procedures in pediatric orthopaedic sports medicine patients provides significant pain relief and decreased narcotic use. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does Exparel significantly reduce Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and pain levels up to one week postoperatively?
- Does Exparel significantly decrease narcotic use (number of pills taken) up to one week postoperatively?
Read more
Researchers will compare the pain outcomes and narcotic use of patients who receive Exparel and Marcaine via local infiltration to those of patients who receive only Marcaine via local infiltration for their MPFL reconstruction surgery. The goal is to understand if there is a significant difference in patient pain outcomes and narcotic use outside the first 24 hours postoperatively.
Participants will:
- receive either Exparel + Marcaine intraoperatively or Marcaine only intraoperatively during their MPFL reconstruction surgery
- receive and complete questionnaires at postoperative days 1, 4, and 7 regarding their pain scores, levels, and outcomes, effective pain treatments, overall pain interference, narcotic use (number of pills taken), and overall pain treatment satisfaction
- receive and complete secondary outcome measures of functional and psychological outcomes regarding their MPFL reconstruction surgery at postoperative day 1
Read the detailed description
This is a single institution, prospective, single-blinded (patient) randomized controlled trial to investigate the pain-control efficacy and patient reported pain outcomes of Exparel use in youth receiving MPFL Reconstruction. Participants will be randomized into two groups, Exparel + Marcaine or Marcaine-only. To be included, participants must be aged 10+ years at the time of surgery and present with an injury requiring an isolated MPFL reconstruction. Data will be collected from the patient's electronic medical record and from Oberd. Data collected will include age, height, weight, surgical information, diagnosis, patient reported outcomes (PROs) and patient demographics. 100 participants (50 per treatment group) will be enrolled in the study with a minimum of 80 needed to complete the study. Patients will be approached pre-operatively for participation, after which the surgical team will be informed. Patients will be offered the choice to participate in the study and randomize their treatment group. If patients do not want their treatment to be randomized, they will not be included in the study. Data collection will involve the Wong-Baker Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and VAS 10-centimeter line 0-10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale, and an institution specific pain questionnaire regarding analgesic medicine intake and complications at postoperative day one, four and seven. A pain management patient satisfaction questionnaire will also be administered on post-operative day seven. Patients' medical records will also be reviewed for readmission, calls to their physician for pain, and other noted complications.
Patients will receive the following anesthesia doses by body weight (BW):
Pre-operatively:
- Regardless of age: 0.5 mg Midazolam per kg BW (intravenous, 15 mg maximum)
- If patient has history of PONV, 0.40 mg Emend per kg BW (pill), and 2 mg Midazolam (intravenous), and/or Scopolamine patch
- If patient has history of anxiety or PTSD, or exhibits anxiety symptoms before surgery: 0.1 mg Valium per kg BW (maximum 10 mg)
Intra-operatively:
- Amounts discretionary by patient vitals 0.5-1.0 mg Lidocaine per kg BW (intravenous -- no maximum) 3-4 mg Propofol per kg BW (no maximum) 1-2 mcg Fentanyl per kg BW (no maximum) 0.35 mg Ketamine per kg BW (no maximum) 0.1 mg Dexamethasone per kg BW (no maximum) If necessary: 0.004 - 0.006 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW (no maximum)
- Optional:
10-20 mcg Dexmedetomidine per kg BW (for persistent tachycardia) <50% Nitrous If intubated/ventilated: 0.5-0.6 mg Rocuronium per kg BW, ~2 mg/kg Sugammadex for reversal If Tranexamic Acid administered: 15 mg per kg BW (10-15 min intravenous, maximum 1 g) For maintenance: 1 Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) Sevoflurane and 15 mg Acetaminophen per kg BW (maximum 1 g) If necessary during emergence: 0.004-0.005 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW, 0.5 mg Ketorolac per kg BW (maximum 30 mg), and 0.1 mg Ondansetron per kg BW (maximum 4 mg)
- If PACU medication required: 0.004-0.006 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW and 0.10- 0.15 mg Oxycodone per kg BW, and Metoclopramide, Dexamethasone, Promethazine, or Ondansetron
Exparel + Marcaine Group:
- Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 10 mL Exparel and 10 mL 0.25% Marcaine
Marcaine Only Group:
- Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 20 mL 0.25% Marcaine
Post-Operatively:
- Days 1-3: Alternate weight-adjusted Acetaminophen and 10 mg Ketorolac every 3 hours
- Days 4-7: Alternate weight-adjusted Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen every 3 hours
- Days 1-5: 40 mg Famotidine every 12 hours
- Rescue: Weight-adjusted Tramadol taken with Acetaminophen for severe pain (every 6 hours, maximum 8 doses) The investigators will enroll 50 patients in each treatment group with 40 in each group needed for a sufficiently powered analysis. Patients will not be informed of their treatment group until after the study is complete.
- Conditions
- Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) Reconstruction, Sports Injuries in Children, Analgesia, Pain, Postoperative
- Being tested
- Exparel
- Keywords
- Narcotic use, Postoperative pain management, MPFL reconstruction, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, Multimodal pain management protocol
- Medical subject headings
- Agnosia, Pain, Postoperative
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ExparelDrug
Also called Liposomal bupivacaine
Patients will be randomized to receive Exparel intraoperatively via local infiltration.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exparel + Marcaine Group | Active comparator | Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 10 mL Exparel and 10 mL 0.25% Marcaine Receives: Drug: Exparel |
| Marcaine Only Group | No intervention | Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 20 mL 0.25% Marcaine |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Wong-Baker Face Pain Scale
Scale with evocative faces from 0-10 (0 = No Pain, 10 = Worst Pain Possible) that assists children in communicating about their pain
Measured: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) 10-centimeter line 0-10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale
Sliding scale from 0-10 (0 = No Pain, 10 = Pain as bad as it could possibly be) that enables a more accurate estimate of pain score
Measured: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Scottish Rite for Children-developed pain questionnaire
Institutional questionnaire that asks how many narcotic pills the patient has taken (0 - 12 pills), if their pain is controlled, treatments that lessens their pain, term that best describes their pain, how much their pain has interfered with daily tasks and overall mood, and sleep interference due to pain.
Measured: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Pain Management Patient Satisfaction questionnaire
Questionnaire that asks how satisfied patients are with their pain treatment (0 = Not Satisfied, 10 = Extremely Satisfied), if they contacted their physician due to ineffective pain treatment, how helpful the information provided for pain treatment was (0 = Not Helpful, 10 = Extremely Helpful), and a free response section to explain why they were not satisfied with their pain treatment and if they have any additional comments or suggestions based on their pain treatment.
Measured: Postoperative day 7
Secondary outcomes (1)
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric Scale v1.0 - Global Health 7+2
Questionnaire of outcomes regarding their overall health (scored 20-80, 20 = poor and 80 = good).
Measured: Preoperatively and within one week postoperatively
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Aug 2024
- Study start1 Dec 2025
- Primary completionSep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) ReconstructionStudies 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
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Philip Wilson, MD, Principal investigator, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06559215
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU-2024-0773
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Aug 2024
- Last updated
- 9 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Prospective Evaluation of Post-operative Pain Management Using Exparel in the Pediatric Population
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06559215
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STU-2024-0773
- Conditions
- Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) Reconstruction, Sports Injuries in Children, Analgesia, Pain, Postoperative
- Keywords
- Narcotic use, Postoperative pain management, MPFL reconstruction, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, Multimodal pain management protocol
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for ChildrenUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Sep 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Aug 2024 (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.
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to determine if administration of Exparel via local infiltration for medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction procedures in pediatric orthopaedic sports medicine patients provides significant pain relief and decreased narcotic use. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does Exparel significantly reduce Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and pain levels up to one week postoperatively?
- Does Exparel significantly decrease narcotic use (number of pills taken) up to one week postoperatively?
Researchers will compare the pain outcomes and narcotic use of patients who receive Exparel and Marcaine via local infiltration to those of patients who receive only Marcaine via local infiltration for their MPFL reconstruction surgery. The goal is to understand if there is a significant difference in patient pain outcomes and narcotic use outside the first 24 hours postoperatively.
Participants will:
- receive either Exparel + Marcaine intraoperatively or Marcaine only intraoperatively during their MPFL reconstruction surgery
- receive and complete questionnaires at postoperative days 1, 4, and 7 regarding their pain scores, levels, and outcomes, effective pain treatments, overall pain interference, narcotic use (number of pills taken), and overall pain treatment satisfaction
- receive and complete secondary outcome measures of functional and psychological outcomes regarding their MPFL reconstruction surgery at postoperative day 1
Detailed description
This is a single institution, prospective, single-blinded (patient) randomized controlled trial to investigate the pain-control efficacy and patient reported pain outcomes of Exparel use in youth receiving MPFL Reconstruction. Participants will be randomized into two groups, Exparel + Marcaine or Marcaine-only. To be included, participants must be aged 10+ years at the time of surgery and present with an injury requiring an isolated MPFL reconstruction. Data will be collected from the patient's electronic medical record and from Oberd. Data collected will include age, height, weight, surgical information, diagnosis, patient reported outcomes (PROs) and patient demographics. 100 participants (50 per treatment group) will be enrolled in the study with a minimum of 80 needed to complete the study. Patients will be approached pre-operatively for participation, after which the surgical team will be informed. Patients will be offered the choice to participate in the study and randomize their treatment group. If patients do not want their treatment to be randomized, they will not be included in the study. Data collection will involve the Wong-Baker Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and VAS 10-centimeter line 0-10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale, and an institution specific pain questionnaire regarding analgesic medicine intake and complications at postoperative day one, four and seven. A pain management patient satisfaction questionnaire will also be administered on post-operative day seven. Patients' medical records will also be reviewed for readmission, calls to their physician for pain, and other noted complications.
Patients will receive the following anesthesia doses by body weight (BW):
Pre-operatively:
- Regardless of age: 0.5 mg Midazolam per kg BW (intravenous, 15 mg maximum)
- If patient has history of PONV, 0.40 mg Emend per kg BW (pill), and 2 mg Midazolam (intravenous), and/or Scopolamine patch
- If patient has history of anxiety or PTSD, or exhibits anxiety symptoms before surgery: 0.1 mg Valium per kg BW (maximum 10 mg)
Intra-operatively:
- Amounts discretionary by patient vitals 0.5-1.0 mg Lidocaine per kg BW (intravenous -- no maximum) 3-4 mg Propofol per kg BW (no maximum) 1-2 mcg Fentanyl per kg BW (no maximum) 0.35 mg Ketamine per kg BW (no maximum) 0.1 mg Dexamethasone per kg BW (no maximum) If necessary: 0.004 - 0.006 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW (no maximum)
- Optional:
10-20 mcg Dexmedetomidine per kg BW (for persistent tachycardia) <50% Nitrous If intubated/ventilated: 0.5-0.6 mg Rocuronium per kg BW, ~2 mg/kg Sugammadex for reversal If Tranexamic Acid administered: 15 mg per kg BW (10-15 min intravenous, maximum 1 g) For maintenance: 1 Minimum Alveolar Concentration (MAC) Sevoflurane and 15 mg Acetaminophen per kg BW (maximum 1 g) If necessary during emergence: 0.004-0.005 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW, 0.5 mg Ketorolac per kg BW (maximum 30 mg), and 0.1 mg Ondansetron per kg BW (maximum 4 mg)
- If PACU medication required: 0.004-0.006 mg Hydromorphone per kg BW and 0.10- 0.15 mg Oxycodone per kg BW, and Metoclopramide, Dexamethasone, Promethazine, or Ondansetron
Exparel + Marcaine Group:
- Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 10 mL Exparel and 10 mL 0.25% Marcaine
Marcaine Only Group:
- Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 20 mL 0.25% Marcaine
Post-Operatively:
- Days 1-3: Alternate weight-adjusted Acetaminophen and 10 mg Ketorolac every 3 hours
- Days 4-7: Alternate weight-adjusted Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen every 3 hours
- Days 1-5: 40 mg Famotidine every 12 hours
- Rescue: Weight-adjusted Tramadol taken with Acetaminophen for severe pain (every 6 hours, maximum 8 doses) The investigators will enroll 50 patients in each treatment group with 40 in each group needed for a sufficiently powered analysis. Patients will not be informed of their treatment group until after the study is complete.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exparel + Marcaine Group | Active comparator | Drug: ExparelLocal Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 10 mL Exparel and 10 mL 0.25% Marcaine |
| Marcaine Only Group | No intervention | –Local Infiltration: Regardless of weight: 20 mL 0.25% Marcaine |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 13 to 21 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Must be aged 13+ years at time of surgery
- Must present with injury requiring an isolated MPFL Reconstruction
- Ability to provide assent, legally appointed representative available to provide informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Patient <13 years old
- Requires fracture repair or another non-standardized surgery
- Any MPFL Reconstruction that requires the use of arthrotomy or a tibial tubercle osteotomy
- Any lower extremity procedure that is not an isolated MPFL Reconstruction
- Patient pregnancy
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ExparelAlso: Liposomal bupivacainePatients will be randomized to receive Exparel intraoperatively via local infiltration. | Drug | Exparel + Marcaine Group |
Primary outcome
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Wong-Baker Face Pain Scale
Time frame: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Scale with evocative faces from 0-10 (0 = No Pain, 10 = Worst Pain Possible) that assists children in communicating about their pain
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) 10-centimeter line 0-10 Numeric Pain Intensity Scale
Time frame: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Sliding scale from 0-10 (0 = No Pain, 10 = Pain as bad as it could possibly be) that enables a more accurate estimate of pain score
Scottish Rite for Children-developed pain questionnaire
Time frame: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7
Institutional questionnaire that asks how many narcotic pills the patient has taken (0 - 12 pills), if their pain is controlled, treatments that lessens their pain, term that best describes their pain, how much their pain has interfered with daily tasks and overall mood, and sleep interference due to pain.
Pain Management Patient Satisfaction questionnaire
Time frame: Postoperative day 7
Questionnaire that asks how satisfied patients are with their pain treatment (0 = Not Satisfied, 10 = Extremely Satisfied), if they contacted their physician due to ineffective pain treatment, how helpful the information provided for pain treatment was (0 = Not Helpful, 10 = Extremely Helpful), and a free response section to explain why they were not satisfied with their pain treatment and if they have any additional comments or suggestions based on their pain treatment.
1 secondary outcome
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pediatric Scale v1.0 - Global Health 7+2
Time frame: Preoperatively and within one week postoperatively
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 9 Mar 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.
Philip Wilson, MD principal investigator
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
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 Exparel in people with Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) Reconstruction and Sports Injuries in Children, run by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children 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 3 inclusion and 8 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 9 Mar 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 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. 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?
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 Robert Van Pelt, MPH (2145597456, bobby.vanpelt@tsrh.org), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Wong-Baker Face Pain Scale (time frame: Postoperative days 1, 4, and 7). 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 9 Mar 2026.