Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38388014›Full record

Trial reportRegional anesthesia and pain medicine2024

Percutaneous auricular neuromodulation (nerve stimulation) for the treatment of pain following cholecystectomy and hernia repair: a randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled pilot study.

Brian M Ilfeld, Wendy B Abramson, Brenton Alexander, Jacklynn F Sztain, Engy T Said, Ryan C Broderick, Bryan J Sandler, Jay J Doucet, Laura M Adams, Baharin Abdullah and 2 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Regional anesthesia and pain medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05521516 (Percutaneous Auricular Neuromodulation for Postoperative Analgesia), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05521516 nacompletednot on this map

Percutaneous Auricular Neuromodulation for Postoperative Analgesia: A Randomized, Participant- and Observer-Masked, Sham-Controlled Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of California, San DiegoRan2022 to 2024Enrolled122ConditionsPostoperative Pain, AcuteArmsActive Percutaneous Auricular Neuromodulation with NSS-2 Bridge, Sham Treatment
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Brian M IlfeldAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA bilfeld@health.ucsd.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-6144-3273
Wendy B AbramsonAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Brenton AlexanderAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3657-0673
Jacklynn F SztainAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Engy T SaidAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7897-1670
Ryan C BroderickDepartment of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Bryan J SandlerDepartment of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Jay J DoucetDepartment of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Laura M AdamsDepartment of Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Baharin AbdullahAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Brannon J ChaAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
John J FinneranAnesthesiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0955-155X
University of California San Diego · USCleveland Clinic · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPercutaneous auricular nerve stimulation (neuromodulation) involves implanting electrodes around the ear and administering an electric current. A device is currently available within the USA cleared to treat symptoms from opioid withdrawal, and multiple reports suggest a possible postoperative analgesic effect. The current randomized controlled pilot study was undertaken to (1) determine the feasibility and optimize the protocol for a subsequent definitive clinical trial; and (2) estimate the treatment effect of auricular neuromodulation on postoperative pain and opioid consumption following two ambulatory surgical procedures.

methodsWithin the recovery room following cholecystectomy or hernia repair, an auricular neuromodulation device (NSS-2 Bridge, Masimo, Irvine, California, USA) was applied. Participants were randomized to 5 days of either electrical stimulation or sham in a double-blinded fashion.

resultsIn the first 5 days, the median (IQR) pain level for active stimulation (n=15) was 0.6 (0.3-2.4) vs 2.6 (1.1-3.7) for the sham group (n=15) (p=0.041). Concurrently, the median oxycodone use for the active stimulation group was 0 mg (0-1), compared with 0 mg (0-3) for the sham group (p=0.524). Regarding the highest pain level experienced over the entire 8-day study period, only one participant (7%) who received active stimulation experienced severe pain, versus seven (47%) in those given sham (p=0.031).

conclusionsPercutaneous auricular neuromodulation reduced pain scores but not opioid requirements during the initial week after cholecystectomy and hernia repair. Given the ease of application as well as a lack of systemic side effects and reported complications, a definitive clinical trial appears warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05521516.

Indexed as

CholecystectomyHerniorrhaphyPostoperative PainTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationAdultAgedAnalgesics, OpioidDouble-Blind MethodFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementPilot ProjectsTreatment OutcomeAnalgesics, OpioidAcute PainanalgesiaPain Management

Identifiers

PMID38388014
PMCPMC11420757
OpenAlexW4392054923

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.