Ketamine Infusion for Neuropathic Pain in Brachial Plexus Injuries

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-06-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess pre- and postoperative neuropathic pain in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries to determine if intraoperative ketamine infusion affect neuropathic pain associated with avulsion injuries of the brachial plexus.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Treatments: Ketamine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with neuropathic pain associated with avulsion injuries following traumatic brachial plexus injuries scheduled for brachial plexus exploration and reconstruction by three senior surgeons at Mayo Clinic (AYS, ATB, RJS):

• Neuropathic pain defined as pain directly related to injury to the somatosensory system, and score >4/10 on the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions (DN4) neuropathic pain questionnaire. Symptoms of neuropathic pain include allodynia, hyperalgesia, burning, needle-like, throbbing, shooting, or electrical-type sensation.

• Nerve root avulsion on CT myelogram.

• Traumatic brachial plexus injuries defined as blunt or penetrating trauma resulting in injury and dysfunction along the course of the brachial plexus defined as nerve roots C5-T1, trunks, divisions, cords, and terminal branches.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients without pain following traumatic brachial plexus injuries.

• Patients with brachial plexus injuries due to non-traumatic causes such as tumors, infection, radiation, or inflammatory disorders such as Parsonage Turner Syndrome.

• Patients who do not require surgery for exploration/reconstruction at the brachial plexus.

• Patients under 18 years of age.

• Contraindication to ketamine use (severe hepatic dysfunction -cirrhosis, high-risk coronary artery disease, poorly controlled psychiatric condition- schizophrenia.