At a glance
- What the study gets you
- Health checks and monitoring — no treatment given
- Type of study
- Observational (no treatment given)
- Time in hospital
- In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
- Drug or intervention
- Not specified by the sponsor
- How long the study runs
- Study runs about 80 months (dates as stated)
- About the drug or intervention
- Not specified by the sponsor
- Patient visit burden
- Not specified by the sponsor
- Type of study
- Observing health over time
- Ages
- 18 Years and over
- Who
- All
- Number of participants
- 60
- Started
- 2022-06-12
- Last checked
- 2026-03
Plain English Summary
What is this study?
- • Testing a new treatment for persistent postsurgical pain
- • Clinical study - 60 participants
- • This is an observational clinical study aiming to further the wider understanding of patients who develop persistent pain after Thoracoabdominal Aorta surgery, a surgical cohort who are disproportionately affected
Who can take part?
- • Ages 18 Years and over
- • Diagnosed with persistent postsurgical pain
Where?
- • London - St Bartholomew's Hospital
This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.
About This Trial
This is an observational clinical study aiming to further the wider understanding of patients who develop persistent pain after Thoracoabdominal Aorta surgery, a surgical cohort who are disproportionately affected. This will be undertaken through a prospective biopsychosocial characterisation of the phenotype of patients undergoing this operation. Increasing numbers of patients are undergoing surgery on the chest for treatment of heart or lung cancer disease. Over the last twenty years, the medical community has become increasingly aware of the long-term effect of this surgery in producing persistent pain, approximately half of all survivors are still in pain around their surgical incision at three months postoperatively and beyond. There is currently no accepted method for preventing this phenomenon. The nervous system mechanisms for the development of persistent pain after surgery are unclear. Some studies suggest it may involve the patient's ability to dampen down pain signals travelling from the incision site to the brain. Humans have an in-built system that produces opiates as well as other pain-relieving molecules in response to injury, e.g. surgery. However, this response varies hugely from person to person and may even be impacted by the psychological state of the individual at the time of surgery. Some of these pain modulating mechanisms can be measured before and after surgery in patients using sensory testing, a robust and established objective method to assess patients'. Identifying patients who are most at risk of a persistent pain state will allow both academics and clinicians to investigate and better target appropriate treatments. Undertaking these longitudinal observational assessments will facilitate an improved mechanistic insight of the transition from acute to pathological pain, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for patients'.
How this trial compares with your answers
Answer 2 more questions to improve match
What we know so far
Still need:
- • Tell us your age for better matching
- • Tell us your sex for better matching
Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.
Eligibility at a Glance
Key info
- Age: 18 Years and over
- Who can join: All genders
What the study is looking for
- ✓Adults (over 18 years of age) undergoing elective repair of the thoraco-abdominal aorta. Able to adequately...
Who cannot take part
- ✗Unwilling or unable to give consent, Age \<18 years
See the full criteria
Where Is This Study? (1 UK site)
St Bartholomew's Hospital
London EC1A 7BE, United Kingdom
How to Get in Touch
Brian Herath, MBBS
Sponsor contactCONTACT