Different ways to record pain after surgery.
Comparison of Methods for Recording Post Operative Pain: A Prospective Randomized Trial
This study tests three ways for adults after surgery to record their pain—a handwritten journal, a smartphone app, or a small electronic device—to see which method produces more frequent pain entries.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 147 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of California, San Francisco Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (San Francisco, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT06206148 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized interventional study compares three methods of collecting postoperative pain intensity using a time- and date-stamped 0–10 visual analogue scale: a hand-written pain journal, a smartphone app, and a novel electronic pain recorder. Adult patients are randomly assigned to one of the three arms and instructed to record their pain as often as they like during the postoperative period. The primary outcome is the number of pain intensity recordings per day, compared across groups. The single-center trial is conducted at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and excludes patients who cannot use the assigned recording method or who lack pain sensation.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) recovering from surgery who can reliably use a smartphone, write by hand, or press a device button and who have intact pain sensation are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with altered mental status, neuropathy causing loss of pain sensation, a nerve catheter that eliminates pain, or an inability to use a smartphone or their hands are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify a recording method that yields more complete and timely pain data to help tailor postoperative pain care.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows electronic diaries and smartphone apps often increase the frequency and timeliness of pain reporting compared with paper, but the specific novel electronic pain recorder in this trial has limited prior testing.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patient over 18 years old Exclusion Criteria: * Patient cannot use a smartphone * Patient cannot use his hands to write or press a button * Patient has a nerve catheter (has no pain) * Altered mental status * Neuropathy causing loss of pain sensation
Where this trial is running
San Francisco, California
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital — San Francisco, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Meir T Marmor, MD — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Meir T Marmor, MD
- Email: meir.marmor@ucsf.edu
- Phone: 6504776238
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.