Rib Fracture clinical trials at University of California Health
3 in progress, 2 open to eligible people
Dexmedotomidine for Acute Pain Control in Patients With Multiple Rib FracturesRandomized Controlled Trial
open to eligible people ages 18 years and up
Blunt chest trauma is the second most common form of unintentional trauma in the US and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Thoracic injuries are the third most common cause of death in trauma patients. Rib fractures have an increased associated risk of pneumonia, prolonged hospitalization, and cost. The associated severe pain leads to poor pulmonary mechanics, which contributes to additional complications. Treatment for rib fractures is focused on optimizing analgesia and intense pulmonary hygiene. Most common strategies utilize early mobilization, incentive spirometry (IS), and multimodal pain regimens. A variety of techniques for analgesia after blunt chest trauma exist. Epidural analgesia is one of the best-studied methods and can often provide significant pain relief. However, this method is invasive, has associated complications, and often can be contraindicated due to coagulopathy or other injuries. Most often a form of multimodal pain strategy is utilized which incorporates acetaminophen, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), trans-dermal lidocaine, and muscle relaxants. Opioids remain an important adjunct to control severe pain, however, narcotics have their own associated complications. The aim of our study is to use an infusion of dexmedetomidine (Precedex) to aid in pain management in patients presenting with 3 or more rib fractures. The investigators hypothesize that dexmedetomidine will decrease patient pain and opioid use.
at UC Irvine
RibFix Advantage™ Post-Market Follow-Up
open to eligible people ages 18-80
To confirm safety, performance, and clinical benefits for the use of RibFix Advantage™ in the fixation, stabilization, and fusion of rib fractures and osteotomies of normal and osteoporotic bone
at UC Irvine
Rib Fracture Analgesia Using Cryoanalgesia
Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients
Rib fractures are one of the most common injuries in trauma patients. These fractures are associated with significant pain as well as decreased ability to inspire deeply or cough to clear secretions, which together lead to pulmonary complications and a high degree of morbidity and mortality. Peripheral nerve blocks as well as epidural blocks have been used with success to improve pain control in rib fracture patients and have been associated with decreased pulmonary complications and improved outcomes. However, a single-injection nerve block lasts less than 24 hours; and, even a continuous nerve block is generally limited to 3-4 days. The pain from rib fractures usually persists for multiple weeks or months. In contrast to local anesthetic-induced nerve blocks, a prolonged block lasting a few weeks/months may be provided by freezing the nerve using a process called "cryoneurolysis". The goal of this multicenter, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled, parallel-arm study is to evaluate the potential of cryoanalgesia to decrease pain and improve pulmonary mechanics in patients with rib fractures.
at UCSD
Our lead scientists for Rib Fracture research studies include Brian M Ilfeld, MD, MS Sebastian Schubl, MD Jeffry Nahmias, MD.
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