Standard Pulsed Radiofrequency Versus Supervoltage Pulsed Radiofrequency Glossopharyngeal Nerve in Oropharyngeal Cancer Pain

Sponsor
National Cancer Institute, Egypt (Other)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT06121102
Collaborator
(none)
60
1
2
4.8
12.6

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of supervoltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve therapy versus standard pulsed radiofrequency in reduction of oropharyngeal cancer pain, through Visual analog scale score reduction.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Procedure: Supervoltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block
  • Procedure: Standard voltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block
N/A

Detailed Description

The glossopharyngeal nerve is the 9th cranial nerve. It has motor, sensory and parasympathetic function like trigeminal and facial nerves. It has its origin in the medulla oblongata and exits the skull via the jugular foramen, close to vagus and accessory nerves, together with the internal carotid artery and sympathetic nerves and terminates in the pharynx between the superior and middle pharyngeal constrictors, splitting into its terminal branches - lingual, pharyngeal, and tonsillar. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is an extremely uncommon occurrence and accounts for only 0.2%-1.3% of the cases with facial pain. It usually affects the male individuals above 50-year age, and the reported incidence of glossopharyngeal neuralgia is roughly 0.8 per 100,000 persons per year. As per ICHD-3 (International Classification of Headache Disease- 3) classification, glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a disease characterized by an episodic unilateral pain, with sharp and stabbing in character, with sudden onset and cessation, in the glossopharyngeal nerve distribution (jaw angle, ear, tonsillar fossa and the base of the tongue). It also affect the pharyngeal and auricular branches of the vagus nerve. Pain is commonly aggravated by coughing, talking, and swallowing. Pain in glossopharyngeal neuralgia has a relapsing and remitting pattern. Vaso glossopharyngeal neuralgia may be associated with life-threatening cardiovascular features- syncope, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, in contrast to trigeminal neuralgia

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Anticipated Enrollment :
60 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose:
Treatment
Official Title:
Standard Pulsed Radiofrequency Versus Supervoltage Pulsed Radiofrequency Glossopharyngeal Nerve Therapy in Management of Oropharyngeal Cancer Pain: Randomized Clinical Trial.
Actual Study Start Date :
Nov 8, 2023
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Apr 1, 2024
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
Apr 1, 2024

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Group A (supervoltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block)

Patients will receive supervoltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block.

Procedure: Supervoltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block
Stimulation will be done using baylis generator both sensory at 50 HZ and 0.5-1.0 V (patient felt tingling at base of tongue, throat, ear and side of upper neck) and motor at 2 HZ and 1-2 V (contraction of stylopharyngeus muscle will be felt). After injecting 1 ml lidocaine 2% plus 1 ml (4 mg) Betamethasone (Diprofos) to augment analgesia and to lower impedance (usually it was 200-300 ohm due to bony proximity).Super voltage pulsed RF(60-75 volt according to patient tolerability will be done for 8 minutes with pulse width = 5 millisecond and pulse frequency of 2 HZ.

Active Comparator: Group B (standard voltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block)

Patients will receive standard voltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block.

Procedure: Standard voltage pulsed radiofrequency glossopharyngeal nerve block
Stimulation will be done using baylis generator both sensory at 50 HZ and 0.5-1.0 V (patient felt tingling at base of tongue, throat, ear and side of upper neck) and motor at 2 HZ and 1-2 V (contraction of stylopharyngeus muscle will be felt). After injecting 1 ml lidocaine 2% plus 1 ml (4 mg) Betamethasone (Diprofos) to augment analgesia and to lower impedance (usually it was 200-300 ohm due to bony proximity).Super voltage8 pulsed RF will be done for 8 minutes with pulse width = 5 millisecond and pulse frequency of 2 HZ.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. The degree of pain [3 months after the procedure]

    Each patient will be instructed about pain assessment with the visual analog scale (VAS) score. VAS(0 represents "no pain" while 10 represents "the worst pain imaginable"). VAS score will be measured at the following times: pre-procedure, day 1 after the procedure, 1,2,3,4 Weeks after the procedure, 2,3 Months after the procedure.

Secondary Outcome Measures

  1. Morphine consumption [3 months after the procedure]

    Morphine sulphate tablets drugs consumption will be recorded pre-procedure, day 1 after the procedure, 1,2,3,4 weeks after the procedure, 2,3 Months after the procedure.

  2. Gabapentin consumption [3 months after the procedure]

    Gabapentin capsules drugs consumption will be recorded before the block and 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4weeks, 2 months and 3 months afterwards.

  3. Patient satisfaction score [1 month after the block]

    Patient satisfaction score will be assessed as the following, how satisfied are the patient with the results of the procedure ? very satisfied = 5, somewhat satisfied = 4, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied = 3, somewhat dissatisfied = 2, very dissatisfied =1 It will be assessed at the following times: 24 hours after the block, 1,2 weeks after the block, 1month after the block

  4. Percentage of functional improvement [1 month after the procedure]

    This is a self-reported analysis for the primary outcome after performing pain interventions. It is divided into 4 categories (0-25%)= no or minimal functional improvement, (more than 25-50%)= mild improvement, (more than 50-75%)= moderate improvement, and (more than 75-100%)= marked improvement.

  5. Quality of life score [12 weeks after the procedure]

    Quality of life score improvement using the Flanagan quality of life scale (QOLS) ,which is a 16 -item (domain) questionnaire with each item scored from 1 to 7 points. The scale will be explained to the patient by the pain physician, and the total score will be calculated and recorded at the preoperative10 assessment (base line) and at postoperative weeks 2,3,4, 8 and 12.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
No
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Age ≥ 18 and ≤ 70 Years.

  • Both sexes

  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class II and III.

  • Patients under pain management for oropharyngeal cancer (failed medical treatment or intolerance to the side effects of the drug).

  • Visual analog scale (VAS) equal to or more than 6 cm in spite medical treatment.

Exclusion Criteria:
  • Patient refusal.

  • Patients with local or systemic sepsis.

  • Uncorrectable coagulopathy.

  • Unstable cardiovascular disease.

  • History of psychiatric and cognitive disorders.

  • Patients allergic to medication used.7

  • Unable to lie supine.

  • Local anatomical distortion (either congenital, post-surgical or post-radiotherapy) making intervention difficult and hazardous.

  • Elongated styloid process > 25 mm.

  • Age less than 18 year and more than 70 year.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Site City State Country Postal Code
1 Cairo University Cairo Egypt 11796

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute, Egypt

Investigators

None specified.

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.
Responsible Party:
Hany Magdy Danial, Assistant Lecturer of Anesthesiology, Surgical Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Egypt
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT06121102
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • 2203-301-013
First Posted:
Nov 7, 2023
Last Update Posted:
Nov 10, 2023
Last Verified:
Nov 1, 2023
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
Yes
Plan to Share IPD:
Yes
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
No
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Nov 10, 2023