Personalized, opioid-sparing pain care for kids after major surgeries
Official title: Implementing and Personalizing Best-In-Class Opioid-sparing Pain Management for Major Inpatient Surgeries in Children
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11404043 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multicenter effort tests and tunes a methadone-based pain protocol to reduce opioid use and side effects for children after spine fusion or heart surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,293,523 |
| NIH project number | 5U01HD116257-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404043 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 0-11 years undergoing posterior spine fusion or cardiac surgery who require postoperative pain management.
✕Less likely to help
Some children may not respond to the protocol or may have contraindications to methadone/oxycodone therapy.
What this research studies
This project will implement a standardized, opioid-sparing ERAS protocol for children undergoing major surgeries and tailor it to individual patients using precision methadone and oxycodone dosing. It aims to keep pain well controlled while lowering risks like respiratory depression, nausea, and later opioid dependence. Researchers will monitor safety and effectiveness across multiple centers and adapt the protocol for best results in pediatric patients. The work focuses on improving short- and long-term recovery and reducing chronic post-surgical pain in kids.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, children could experience better pain control with fewer opioid-related risks and a smoother recovery after major surgeries.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary findings suggest that opioid-sparing ERAS approaches can reduce opioid exposure in pediatric surgery, but larger, multicenter trials are needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sadhasivam, Senthilkumar — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Sadhasivam, Senthilkumar
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.