Telehealth mindfulness program to ease pain and cut opioid use after lumbar spine surgery
Postoperative Telehealth Mindfulness Intervention to Improve Pain-related Outcomes and Reduce Opioid Use after Lumbar Spine Surgery
This project offers one-on-one mindfulness sessions by video to adults recovering from lumbar spine surgery to help reduce pain and opioid use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124241 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would take part in a mindfulness-based program delivered one-on-one over live video while recovering from lumbar spine surgery. The team will first adapt and refine the program using participant feedback gathered through surveys and interviews. Then participants will be randomly assigned to the mindfulness program or an education-only control in a small pilot trial, with follow-up visits to track pain, function, and opioid use. Researchers will summarize how pain and recovery change over time to guide future trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 years or older who are recovering from lumbar spine surgery and can join live videoconference sessions are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who cannot use video technology, have cognitive or communication barriers to participating, or whose pain is not related to lumbar spine surgery may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to less post-surgical pain, lower opioid use, and better recovery and quality of life after lumbar spine surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Mindfulness and other psychosocial approaches have shown benefits for chronic pain in prior studies, but one-on-one telehealth mindfulness specifically for post-lumbar-surgery opioid reduction is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brintz, Carrie Elizabeth — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Brintz, Carrie Elizabeth
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 below.