Seven Postoperative Pain Clinical Trials Currently Recruiting in the United States

It is essential for clinicians to remain informed about emerging clinical trial opportunities and resulting data that may inform therapeutic strategies, affect clinical guidelines, expand pain management options, and ultimately improve patient quality of life directly following a surgical procedure.

Today, we are featuring seven ongoing, recruiting, Phase 3 clinical trials focusing on postoperative pain management for various procedures. The types of procedures include bunionectomy, total hip arthroplasty, tonsillectomy, and more. Trials are arranged by start date.

Quick View Table of Currently Recruiting, Phase 3 Postoperative Pain Clinical Trials

Featured Currently Recruiting, Phase 3 Postoperative-Pain Clinical Trials

Methadone in THA for Post-op Pain and Opioid Reduction

• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina
• Goal: This randomized, double-blind controlled trial investigates whether intraoperative intravenous methadone (0.15 mg/kg based on ideal body weight) reduces acute postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia with mepivacaine.
• Interventions: Methadone
• Primary Outcome Measure: Patient reported pain in the recovery unit after surgery.
• Time Frame: Up to 24 hours after surgery ends.
• Study Details
• Source

Methadone in TKA for Post-op Pain and Opioid Reduction

• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina
• Goal: This randomized, double-blind controlled trial investigates whether intraoperative IV methadone (0.15 mg/kg based on ideal body weight) reduces acute postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia with mepivacaine.
• Intervention: Methadone hydrochloride
• Primary Outcome Measure: Patient reported pain in the recovery unit after surgery.
• Time Frame: Up to 24 hours after surgery ends.
• Study Details
• Source

A Study of TLC590 for Postsurgical Pain Following Bunionectomy

• Sponsor: TLC Biopharmaceuticals
• Goal: This is a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, comparator- and placebo-controlled study to evaluate analgesic efficacy and safety of TLC590 via local infiltration in adult subjects following bunionectomy.
• Interventions: TLC590, liposomal bupivacaine, saline placebo
• Primary Outcome Measure: Mean area under the curve (AUC) of the numeric rating scale (NRS) pain intensity scores through 72 hours postsurgery (AUC0-72), compared with saline placebo.
• Time Frame: 72 hours.
• Study Details
• Source

RADA16 For Adult Tonsillectomy

• Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Goal: The purpose of the research is to determine if RADA16 (also known as PuraStat®, PuraGel®, or PuraSinus®) improves patient outcomes following tonsillectomy procedures.
• Interventions: RADA16 hydrogel
• Primary Outcome Measure: Postoperative pain.
• Time Frame: From enrollment to post-operative day fifteen.
• Study Details
• Source

PF614 Analgesic Activity in Acute Postoperative Pain (PF614-301)

• Sponsor: Ensysce Biosciences
• Goal: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the analgesic activity of PF614 (an oral oxycodone prodrug extended-release analgesic) for control of postsurgical pain in subjects scheduled for abdominoplasty surgery.
• Interventions: PF614 capsule, placebo
• Primary Outcome Measure: Pain NRS-R area under the curve through 48 hours (AUC4-48).
• Time Frame: 4 to 48 hours.
• Study Details
• Source

Can PLIA Reduce Early Post-Operative Pain After PAO Surgery? (PILA PAO)

• Sponsor: Michael C Willey
• Goal: The goal of this clinical trial is to compare different peri-incisional local infiltrative anesthesia (PLIA) methods in patients ages 13 to 50 undergoing a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO).
• Interventions: Ropivacaine, epinephrine, ketorolac, NaCl (Saline)
• Primary Outcome Measures: Post-operative pain after periacetabular osteotomy; Pain medication usage after periacetabular osteotomy; The impact of timing of PLIA administration on post-operative pain; The impact of timing of PLIA administration on MED.
• Time Frames: Post anesthesia care unit (PACU), 24 hours post op; Post anesthesia care unit (PACU) to end of hospital stay, an average of three days; Post anesthesia care unit (PACU) to end of hospital stay, and average of three days; Post anesthesia care unit (PACU) to end of hospital stay, an average of three days.
• Study Details
• Source

Dronabinol After Arthroscopic Surgery

• Sponsor: Northwestern University
• Goal: The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of dronabinol for postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery of the knee. The investigators hypothesize that dronabinol will relieve pain, reduce opioid consumption and will result in few negative side effects.
• Interventions: Dronabinol, placebo
• Primary Outcome Measure: Opioid consumption.
• Time Frame: Up to seven days post-surgery.
• Study Details
• Source

Related Guidance:

• Postsurgical Pain Management Toolkit
  • Consensus and Physician Experts, August 2025

• Management of Postoperative Pain
  • American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), February 2016

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