PTSDPhase 4NCT07382596
Cervical Plexus Hydrodissection With D5W Versus NS for Treatment-Resistant PTSD
A Phase 4 study testing Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection and Normal saline bilateral injection in people with PTSD, run by Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic at 4 sites in United States.
Trial summary
PTSD is a chronic mental health condition that drastically reduces an individual's quality of life Dextrose injection with a small needle has been used for chronic pain patients and observational results have shown it to be effective in reducing anxiety, brain fog, and depression in patients with PTSD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 19 to 90 years
- Conditions the study is for
- PTSD
- What is being tested?
- Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection and Normal saline bilateral injection
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 4 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 16 May 2026to 1 Apr 2030
- 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 19 to 90 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Not involved in another study of PTSD treatment
- Reliable transportation
- Comfortable with computers
- Tried 2 or more medications for treatment of PTSD symptoms
- Tried 2 or more non-medication treatments for PTSD symptom
- No known life-threatening illness
Show all 21Show fewer
- Not taking daily narcotics
- Not having 3 or more alcoholic drinks on an average day
- No active suicidal plans
- No major surgery plans
- No major life stress that might interfere with completing study
- Symptoms for more than 1 year
- Not planning to move for next 18 months.
- Living within an hour of Portland, OR, Madison, WI, or Lexington, KY
- Wiling to provide 2 email and 2 phone contact methods
- Willing to answer questions on multiple occasions over the course of a year.
- Willing to be assigned to 3 months of usual care treatment
- No diagnosis of schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder.
- No severe needle phobia
- Chronic pain ≤ 5/10
- PCL-C score ≥ 50
Who cannot join
- -
Trial locations and contacts
4 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States4 sites, 4 recruiting
- Recruiting
Wellward Medical
Lexington, Kentucky, 40509
Danesh Mazloomdoost, M.D., (443) 762-3505, drd@wellwardmed.com
Kenneth D Reeves, M.D., 913-362-1600, DeanReevesMD@gmail.com
- Recruiting
Medical Procedures of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin, 53709
Eric Phillippi, M.D., (262) 844-9123, eric@medicalprocedures.com
Kenneth D Reeves, M.D., 913-362-1600, DeanReevesMD@gmail.com
- Recruiting
NW Regen
Portland, Oregon, 97210
Ryan R Wood, N.D., D.C., 503-799-6115, libby@nwregen.com
Kenneth D Reeves, M.D., 913-362-1600, DeanReevesMD@gmail.com
- Recruiting
Paul Johnson, MD.
Portland, Oregon, 97210
Paul W Johnson, D.O., (412) 596-2606, paulwjohnsonDO@yahoo.com
Kenneth D Reeves, M.D., 913-362-1600, DeanReevesMD@gmail.com
About this study
PTSD is a chronic mental health condition that drastically reduces an individual's quality of life Dextrose injection with a small needle has been used for chronic pain patients and observational results have shown it to be effective in reducing anxiety, brain fog, and depression in patients with PTSD. This randomized trial will compare dextrose injection with an injection control of normal saline (NS)
Read the detailed description
PTSD is a well-recognized debilitating mental health condition associated with previous trauma exposure. It is part of the DSM-5 Trauma and Stressor related disorders category. Treatments for PTSD normally involve a multi-disciplinary approach. First-line treatments include psychotherapy and serotonergic reuptake inhibitors. Many patients fail pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Unilateral stellate ganglion block performed favorably for treatment of PTSD in a recent RCT, based upon an expectation that the cervical sympathetic system is neuropathically upregulated in PTSD. However, inclusion of lidocaine requires the presence of an emergency response team due to the potential for inadvertent intravascular injection with generalized seizures or hypotension, and inadvertent laryngeal or phrenic nerve block. Perineural injection of peripheral nerves, plexi, or sympathetic ganglia with dextrose 5% in water (D5W), has performed well empirically in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. No lidocaine is utilized, which allows for avoidance of lidocaine toxicity risk, or any risk of nerve block. Because of that, bilateral procedures are feasible, and these procedures can be performed in any outpatient office with ultrasound availability, as emergency team backup is not necessary, making the procedure readily accessible. A cumulative benefit has been observed, as well. The effects of BHDCP with D5W as a stand-alone treatment for PTSD is under evaluated in a randomized trial compared treatment with D5W versus delayed treatment with early results promising. This study is designed as the next step in study quality through use of an injection control. The primary outcome is the short term and long-term effect of BHDCP with D5W versus NS on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List for Civilians (PCL-C), The primary hypotheses are tha cervical plexus hydrodissection with D5W will outperform NS for the primary measure, and that the PCL_C improvement will be equal to or greater than 15.3 (1.5 times the MCID of 10.2.). A study size of 100 participants is planned, based on power analysis.
- Conditions
- PTSD
- Being tested
- Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection, Normal saline bilateral injection
- Keywords
- Dextrose, Hydrodissection, Cervical Plexus
- Medical subject headings
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injectionDrug
Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
Normal saline bilateral injectionDrug
Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| D5W cervical plexus hydrodissection | Experimental | 10 ml D5W cervical plexus hydrodissection bilaterally at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and then by request from 13-52 weeks Receives: Drug: Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection |
| Normal saline cervical plexus hydrodissection | Active comparator | 10 mL normal saline cervical plexus hydrodissection bilaterally at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and then D5W by request from 13-52 weeks Receives: Drug: Normal saline bilateral injection |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Post traumatic checklist for civilians
Minimum 17 Maximum 85 Higher scores mean worse outcome
Measured: 3 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Hospital anxiety and depression scale
Minimum 0 Maximum 42 Higher scores mean worse outcome
Measured: 3 months
EuroQol Visual Analog Scale (0-100 overall quality of life)
Minimum 0 Maximum 100 Higher scores mean better outcome
Measured: 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Feb 2026
- Study start16 May 2026
- Primary completion1 Mar 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Apr 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PTSDStudies 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 4
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized double-blind study comparing BHDCP with D5W versus NS
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Dean Reeves, Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic
- Investigators
- Kenneth D Reeves, M.D., Principal investigator, Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07382596
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BCPHD-D5WvsNSforPTSD
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 16 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified data are available from the first author upon request in writing and with a detailed use plan.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Cervical Plexus Hydrodissection With D5W Versus NS for Treatment-Resistant PTSD
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07382596
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BCPHD-D5WvsNSforPTSD
- Conditions
- PTSD
- Keywords
- Dextrose, Hydrodissection, Cervical Plexus
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Dr. Dean Reeves ClinicUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 May 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Apr 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Feb 2026 (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.
PTSD is a chronic mental health condition that drastically reduces an individual's quality of life Dextrose injection with a small needle has been used for chronic pain patients and observational results have shown it to be effective in reducing anxiety, brain fog, and depression in patients with PTSD. This randomized trial will compare dextrose injection with an injection control of normal saline (NS)
Detailed description
PTSD is a well-recognized debilitating mental health condition associated with previous trauma exposure. It is part of the DSM-5 Trauma and Stressor related disorders category. Treatments for PTSD normally involve a multi-disciplinary approach. First-line treatments include psychotherapy and serotonergic reuptake inhibitors. Many patients fail pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Unilateral stellate ganglion block performed favorably for treatment of PTSD in a recent RCT, based upon an expectation that the cervical sympathetic system is neuropathically upregulated in PTSD. However, inclusion of lidocaine requires the presence of an emergency response team due to the potential for inadvertent intravascular injection with generalized seizures or hypotension, and inadvertent laryngeal or phrenic nerve block. Perineural injection of peripheral nerves, plexi, or sympathetic ganglia with dextrose 5% in water (D5W), has performed well empirically in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. No lidocaine is utilized, which allows for avoidance of lidocaine toxicity risk, or any risk of nerve block. Because of that, bilateral procedures are feasible, and these procedures can be performed in any outpatient office with ultrasound availability, as emergency team backup is not necessary, making the procedure readily accessible. A cumulative benefit has been observed, as well. The effects of BHDCP with D5W as a stand-alone treatment for PTSD is under evaluated in a randomized trial compared treatment with D5W versus delayed treatment with early results promising. This study is designed as the next step in study quality through use of an injection control. The primary outcome is the short term and long-term effect of BHDCP with D5W versus NS on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List for Civilians (PCL-C), The primary hypotheses are tha cervical plexus hydrodissection with D5W will outperform NS for the primary measure, and that the PCL_C improvement will be equal to or greater than 15.3 (1.5 times the MCID of 10.2.). A study size of 100 participants is planned, based on power analysis.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Randomized double-blind study comparing BHDCP with D5W versus NS
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| D5W cervical plexus hydrodissection | Experimental | Drug: Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection10 ml D5W cervical plexus hydrodissection bilaterally at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and then by request from 13-52 weeks |
| Normal saline cervical plexus hydrodissection | Active comparator | Drug: Normal saline bilateral injection10 mL normal saline cervical plexus hydrodissection bilaterally at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and then D5W by request from 13-52 weeks |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 19 to 90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (21 listed)
- Not involved in another study of PTSD treatment
- Reliable transportation
- Comfortable with computers
- Tried 2 or more medications for treatment of PTSD symptoms
- Tried 2 or more non-medication treatments for PTSD symptom
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- -
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injectionInjection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle | Drug | D5W cervical plexus hydrodissection |
| Normal saline bilateral injectionInjection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle | Drug | Normal saline cervical plexus hydrodissection |
Primary outcome
Post traumatic checklist for civilians
Time frame: 3 months
Minimum 17 Maximum 85 Higher scores mean worse outcome
2 secondary outcomes
Hospital anxiety and depression scale
Time frame: 3 months
EuroQol Visual Analog Scale (0-100 overall quality of life)
Time frame: 3 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 16 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified data are available from the first author upon request in writing and with a detailed use plan.
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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.
Kenneth D Reeves, M.D. principal investigator
Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic
4 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection and Normal saline bilateral injection in people with PTSD, run by Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic at 4 sites 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 21 inclusion and 1 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 16 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 4 sites 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 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 Kenneth D Reeves, MD (9133621600, DeanReevesmd@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Post traumatic checklist for civilians (time frame: 3 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 16 Sep 2026.