Burst-Deep Brain Stimulation of the Thalamus for Neuropathic Facial Pain and Central Poststroke Pain: a Prospective, Randomized Cross-over Feasibility Trial

  • STATUS
    Recruiting
  • End date
    Feb 23, 2027
  • participants needed
    20
  • sponsor
    University Hospital Inselspital, Berne
Updated on 23 October 2022
anesthesia
heat
local anesthesia
pain syndromes
spinal cord
antidepressants
neuralgia

Summary

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is a neuropathic pain syndrome and one of the major sequelae after ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebral stroke.

Recently, a modified stimulation paradigm has been developed in the field of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for a variety of neuropathic pain disorders. To date, this stimulation paradigm has not yet been evaluated systematically for deep brain stimulation to treat neuropathic pain disorders.

The purpose of this clinical investigation is to investigate if Burst-DBS of the thalamus is more effective compared to classical continuous low-frequency stimulation DBS to reduce the subjective pain intensity in patients with chronic neuropathic pain after stroke or in patients with neuropathic facial pain.

Description

Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) is a neuropathic pain syndrome and one of the major sequelae after ischemic or hemorrhagic cerebral stroke. Neuropathic facial pain (NFP) can arise after damage to or affection of the trigeminal nerve caused by trauma, infection or postsurgery and results in characteristic burning and shooting pain of the affected area in the face.

The lack of effective analgesic treatment for these two conditions continues to be an unmet medical need and led to the investigation of alternative treatments of CPSP and NFP such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS is an invasive neuromodulation therapy that consists of placing small electrodes into confined anatomical structures of the brain to deliver small therapeutic currents.

Recently, a modified stimulation paradigm has been developed in the field of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for a variety of neuropathic pain disorders. This so-called burst stimulation provides pulse trains of five high-frequency pulses at 500 Hz (= 500 Hz spike frequency) occurring 40 times a second (= 40 Hz burst frequency). Burst SCS has been demonstrated to provide a better pain relief compared to classical tonic (continuous application of 50 Hz stimulation) SCS without causing paresthesia. To date, this stimulation paradigm has not yet been evaluated systematically for deep brain stimulation to treat neuropathic pain disorders.

The purpose of this clinical investigation is to investigate if Burst-DBS of the thalamus is more effective compared to classical continuous low-frequency stimulation DBS to reduce the subjective pain intensity in patients with chronic neuropathic pain after stroke or in patients with neuropathic facial pain.

Details
Condition Central Post-stroke Pain, Neuropathic Pain
Treatment Burst DBS, Tonic DBS
Clinical Study IdentifierNCT05204472
SponsorUniversity Hospital Inselspital, Berne
Last Modified on23 October 2022

Eligibility

Yes No Not Sure

Inclusion Criteria

Signed informed consent
Age 18-75 years
Patients suffering from chronic (duration > 12 months) unilateral neuropathic pain caused by an ischemic or haemorrhagic cerebral stroke
Patients suffering from chronic (duration > 12 months) unilateral neuropathic facial pain due to one of the following causes
post-herpes-zoster-neuralgia
posttraumatic, neuropathic facial pain
atypical trigeminal neuralgia after surgical intervention
Severe baseline pain intensity (VAS score > 6/10) considered as resistant to
medication specific to neuropathic pain at sufficient doses and durations
(including at least antiepileptics and antidepressants)

Exclusion Criteria

Significant cognitive impairment (Moca score <22)
DSMIV axis I or II psychiatric disorder
Relevant psychosocial risk factors (any of): history of other chronic pain syndrome, pain catastrophizing, substance abuse, secondary gain
Contra-indication to surgery, anesthesia, or MRI
Known or suspected non-compliance or inability to operate the DBS system
Woman with childbearing potential
Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia. etc. of the subject
Participation in another interventional clinical trial within 30 days prior to this trial or during the trial
Previous enrollment into the current trial
Enrolment of the investigator's family members, employees, and other dependent persons
Patients who are planned to undergo diathermy, electroshock therapy or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
Patients with implanted electric devices (i.e. cardiac defibrillator, pacemaker)
Patients who are at poor surgical risk (i.e. patients with multiple severe illnesses or active general infections)
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