Adding Morphine to Bone Injection for Pain Control in Knee Replacement

Effectiveness of Adding Morphine to Intraosseous Vancomycin for Pain Control in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Double-Blind, Randomized Trial

PHASE2 · Carilion Clinic · NCT06716749

This study is testing if adding morphine to a bone injection during knee replacement surgery can help reduce pain for patients.

Quick facts

PhasePHASE2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment86 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 100 Years
SexAll
SponsorCarilion Clinic (other)
Locations1 site (Roanoke, Virginia)
Trial IDNCT06716749 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the effectiveness of adding morphine to intraosseous vancomycin injections for pain control in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty. A total of 86 participants will be enrolled, with half receiving the combination of morphine and vancomycin, while the other half will receive vancomycin with a placebo. Pain levels and medication consumption will be monitored post-surgery to assess the impact of the morphine addition. The injections are administered directly into the bone at the tibia site during the procedure.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18-100 who are scheduled for primary total knee arthroplasty and can provide informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients who have chronic narcotic use, allergies to morphine or vancomycin, or are undergoing non-primary knee surgeries may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve pain management for patients undergoing knee replacement surgery.

How similar studies have performed: While the use of intraosseous vancomycin is standard, the addition of morphine is a novel approach that has not been extensively tested in this context.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. 18-100 years old
2. Primary total knee arthroplasty
3. Participants must be able to consent for themselves
4. Capable and comfortable with text messaging

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Non-primary total knee arthroplasty
2. Intraoperative or postoperative deviation from standard of care
3. Post-traumatic surgical indication
4. Post-infectious surgical indication
5. Chronic narcotic use or history of narcotic addiction
6. Allergy to vancomycin
7. Allergy to morphine
8. Inability to receive spinal anesthesia
9. Inability to receive intraoperative adductor canal block
10. Inability to provide informed consent for the study
11. Inability to speak English fluently

Where this trial is running

Roanoke, Virginia

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty, Intraosseous Morphine Injection, Knee Osteoarthritis

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.