Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) - Ambulatory Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Treatment of Post-Amputation Phantom Limb and Stump Pain

• Status: Terminated
• Trial end date: 2010-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to determine if putting local anesthetic-or numbing medication-through one or two tiny tube(s) placed next to the nerves that go to an amputated limb will decrease phantom limb and/or stump pain.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of California, San Diego
• Treatments: Ropivacaine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• previous upper or lower limb amputation including at least one metacarpal or metatarsal bone, respectively

• age 18 years or older

• phantom limb and/or stump pain described as at least a 2 on the NRS for the previous week [and pain occurring on a weekly basis over the previous month]

• willing to have an ambulatory perineural infusion for 6 days

• willing to avoid additional "new" analgesic interventions from 4 weeks prior to at least 4 weeks following catheter placement, and preferably to 6 months following catheter placement

• the availability of a "caretaker" who will transport the subject home following the procedure and remain with the subject for the first night of the infusion

Exclusion Criteria:

• known hepatic or renal insufficiency

• allergy to the study medications

• possessing a contraindication to perineural catheter placement or perineural local anesthetic infusion