Understanding pain after surgery in children with cerebral palsy
Official title: Chronic Postsurgical Pain in Cerebral Palsy
Run by Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare · NCT05764681 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how children with cerebral palsy experience pain after orthopedic surgery and how it relates to their use of pain medication, to help predict who might have ongoing pain later on.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 5 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 500 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Wilmington, Delaware and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 17, 2023 |
| Main results expected | February 2028 |
| Study ends | January 2029 |
| Registry record updated | September 25, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05764681 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are children diagnosed with cerebral palsy who have a scheduled lower extremity or spine orthopedic surgery.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not speak or read English may not benefit from this study due to exclusion criteria.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to document the pain experience and opioid use in children with cerebral palsy undergoing orthopedic surgery. It will identify predictive factors for chronic postsurgical pain and develop a risk index based on these factors. Participants will complete questionnaires and undergo sensory tests and gait analysis to assess their pain trajectory and functional outcomes post-surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved pain management strategies and better outcomes for children with cerebral palsy after surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown success in understanding pain trajectories in similar populations, indicating that this approach is promising.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * CP diagnosis * Have a scheduled lower extremity or spine orthopedic surgery Exclusion Criteria: * Non-English speaking and reading parent/guardian
Where it's running
-
Nemour's Children's Hospital
Wilmington, Delaware, United States Recruiting -
Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare
Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Chantel Burkitt, PhD — Gillette Children's, University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Maykala Owens
- Email: maykalajowens@gillettechildrens.com
- Phone: 6512291717
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Sensory Integration Therapy vs Conventional Physical Therapy in Children With Mixed Cerebral Palsy
This study tests whether Sensory Integration Therapy helps improve gross motor function more than standard physical therapy in children aged 4–10 with mixed cerebral palsy.
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Turkish version of ABILHAND-Kids Young CP: translation, adaptation, and reliability
A Turkish version of the ABILHAND-Kids Young CP questionnaire is being created and tested to see if it reliably measures manual ability in 2-to-7-year-olds with cerebral palsy, based on parent reports.
-
Multisite upper limb surgery in children with unilateral cerebral palsy
This study looks at whether individualized multisite upper limb surgery helps improve hand function in kids with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, using each child as their own control before and after surgery.
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Spinal Stimulation During Walking to See If Spasticity Lessens in Cerebral Palsy
This study tests whether walking with non-invasive spinal stimulation reduces leg muscle tightness and improves walking in children and young adults with cerebral palsy.
-
Combined leg nerve blocks for kids with cerebral palsy after surgery
This study tests whether adding two nerve blocks to standard anesthesia helps control pain in children with cerebral palsy after lower limb surgery.
-
Smartphone gait checks for kids with unilateral spastic CP
This study tests whether a phone’s accelerometer can reliably measure walking in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.