Preoperative Etanercept Before Inguinal Hernia Surgery
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most frequently performed operations in young men.
Persistent pain after inguinal surgery represents a significant cause of disability,
occurring in between 15%-35% of cases. In a majority of these patients, their groin pain
persisted after a previous hernia repair. The main type of chronic postsurgical pain is
neuropathic, caused by injured nerves. One of the principal components in the pathophysiology
of postsurgical pain is cytokines, specifically tumor necrosis factor (TNF). In animal
studies, injecting TNF inhibitors before nerve injury can reduce pain behaviors and
neuropathology. Finding a way to reduce the incidence of postsurgical pain after hernia
repair could enhance function, and reduce the need for opioids and other analgesics. The
investigators intend to conduct the first randomized, controlled study evaluating whether
preemptive administration of a tumor necrosis inhibitor can reduce postoperative pain and
opioid consumption after hernia repair. This is important because the degree and intensity of
postsurgical pain is a major predictor for the development of chronic postsurgical pain.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Johns Hopkins University
Collaborators:
John P. Murtha Neuroscience and Pain Institute Walter Reed Army Medical Center