OCTANCT06797752
Effect of the Stellate Ganglion Block on the Retinal Microcirculation
An observational study of OCTA and Severe Brain Injury, run by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Surges in the sympathetic nervous system occur at the ictus of a variety of neurological critical illnesses including intracranial hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. It is hypothesized that these exaggerated increases in sympathetic nervous activity produce maladaptations that promote secondary brain injury. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- OCTA, Severe Brain Injury, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- What is being tested?
- OCTA Scan
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 7 Oct 2024to 7 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- 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
Study population: Patients receiving the stellate ganglion block
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 years or older
- Patients receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block for an approved indication, e.g. complex regional pain syndrome
Who cannot join
- Pregnancy
- Non-English speaking
- Temporary or permanent physical limitation that renders the patient unable to sit up and look inside OCTA device
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
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas, 75235
Noah Jouett, DO, PhD, 214-645-7011, noah.jouett@utsouthwestern.edu
Noah Jouett, DO, PhD
About this study
Official title: Effect of the Stellate Ganglion Block on the Retinal Microcirculation: A Pilot Study
Surges in the sympathetic nervous system occur at the ictus of a variety of neurological critical illnesses including intracranial hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. It is hypothesized that these exaggerated increases in sympathetic nervous activity produce maladaptations that promote secondary brain injury. One of these possible mechanisms include diffuse vasospasm that cause cerebral ischemia. Hence, methods to abrogate the sympathetic nervous system in this context are under active investigation. One possible method is the regional anesthesia technique of the stellate ganglion nerve block, which is ordinarily used for complex regional pain syndrome, but has been shown to reduce cerebral sympathetic activity and reduces vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, its effect on the microcirculation is not clear. Hence, we propose to study patients receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block as part of their standard medical care and to image their retinal microcirculation before and after the procedure using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA).
- Being tested
- OCTA Scan
- Medical subject headings
- Brain Injuries, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Cerebral Hemorrhage
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
OCTA ScanDevice
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography before and after receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | Patients receiving the stellate ganglion block Receives: Device: OCTA Scan |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Vascular and Perfusion Density
Quantitative measure of retinal microperfusion
Measured: One day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Jan 2025
- Study start7 Oct 2024
- Primary completion7 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion7 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for OCTAStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Noah Jouett, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
- Investigators
- Noah Jouett, DO, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06797752
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU-2024-1027
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 21 Dec 2024
- Last updated
- 19 Nov 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Pilot study
Publications
Patton N, Aslam T, Macgillivray T, Pattie A, Deary IJ, Dhillon B. Retinal vascular image analysis as a potential screening tool for cerebrovascular disease: a rationale based on homology between cerebral and retinal microvasculatures. J Anat. 2005 Apr;206(4):319-48. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2005.00395.x.
PubMed 15817102
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Nov 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of the Stellate Ganglion Block on the Retinal Microcirculation: A Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06797752
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STU-2024-1027
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 7 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 7 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 28 Jan 2025 (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.
Surges in the sympathetic nervous system occur at the ictus of a variety of neurological critical illnesses including intracranial hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. It is hypothesized that these exaggerated increases in sympathetic nervous activity produce maladaptations that promote secondary brain injury. One of these possible mechanisms include diffuse vasospasm that cause cerebral ischemia. Hence, methods to abrogate the sympathetic nervous system in this context are under active investigation. One possible method is the regional anesthesia technique of the stellate ganglion nerve block, which is ordinarily used for complex regional pain syndrome, but has been shown to reduce cerebral sympathetic activity and reduces vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, its effect on the microcirculation is not clear. Hence, we propose to study patients receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block as part of their standard medical care and to image their retinal microcirculation before and after the procedure using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA).
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | – | Device: OCTA ScanPatients receiving the stellate ganglion block |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Patients receiving the stellate ganglion block
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Age 18 years or older
- Patients receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block for an approved indication, e.g. complex regional pain syndrome
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Pregnancy
- Non-English speaking
- Temporary or permanent physical limitation that renders the patient unable to sit up and look inside OCTA device
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 |
|---|---|---|
| OCTA ScanOptical Coherence Tomography Angiography before and after receiving the stellate ganglion nerve block. | Device | Intervention Group |
Primary outcome
Vascular and Perfusion Density
Time frame: One day
Quantitative measure of retinal microperfusion
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 19 Nov 2025.
- Background: PubMed 15817102Patton N, Aslam T, Macgillivray T, Pattie A, Deary IJ, Dhillon B. Retinal vascular image analysis as a potential screening tool for cerebrovascular disease: a rationale based on homology between cerebral and retinal microvasculatures. J Anat. 2005 Apr;206(4):319-48. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2005.00395.x.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Pilot study
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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.
Noah Jouett, DO, PhD principal investigator
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of OCTA and Severe Brain Injury, run by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 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 3 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 19 Nov 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. 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 Noah Jouett, DO, PhD (214-645-7011, noah.jouett@utsouthwestern.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Vascular and Perfusion Density (time frame: One day). 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 NCT06797752, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 19 Nov 2025.