Effects of an Opioid Free/Sparing Care Pathway for Patients Undergoing Obesity Surgery (OS-PCC)

January 2, 2026 updated by: Göteborg University

Effects of an Opioid Sparing Care Pathway for Patients Undergoing Obesity Surgery

The opioid consumption has exploded in the western world, and for some patient populations such as obese patients, patients with sleep apnoea or patients undergoing cancer treatment, opioid-sparing/ opioid-free strategies could have positive effects on outcomes. Studies suggest that opioids could have opioid-induced immunosuppression, induce chronic post-operative pain syndrome and hyperalgesia in addition to the more well-known side effects such as respiratory depression, nausea, bladder, and bowel dysfunction. Hence, new studies are needed on the impact of person-centered care programs that combine pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical strategies to reduce the adverse short and long-term effects of opioid therapy.

The overall aim is to evaluate the short-, medium- and long-term effects of opioid-free care pathways with or without person-centred care compared to conventional opioid-based treatment in patients undergoing obesity surgery.

Specific aims

  1. Determine the effects of opioid-free care with or without person-centred care compared with conventional opioid-based general anaesthesia on the cognitive and physical quality of recovery after surgery up to 24 months after surgery (short-term: postoperative to discharge, medium-term: 14 days, 3 months, long-term: 6 months, 12 months and 24 months).
  2. Describe the clinical monitoring trend regarding nociceptive response intraoperatively between opioid-free and conventional care.
  3. Map the impact of opioid-free anaesthesia (with and without person-centred care) on the usage of opioids up to 24 months after hospital discharge.
  4. Explore the patients' experience of quality of life, economic evaluations, self-efficacy and recovery after surgery in opioid-free care with or without person-centred care during the first year post-surgery.

The aims will be evaluated by a prospective, randomized, non-blinded, non-commercial multi-centre study (Nov 2018-Dec 2022) approved by the Swedish Medicines Agency (EU-CT 2023-505934-86-00) and the ethical review board (DNR 1006-17).

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Aim To evaluate the effects of opioid sparing care pathways compared to conventional opioid-based treatment for pain relief, opioid consumption, recovery after surgery, self-efficacy and health economy in patients undergoing obesity surgery. The aim will be investigated by a prospective, randomized, non-blinded, non-commercial multi-centre study(Nov 2018-Dec 2022), approved by the Swedish Medicines Agency (EU-CT 2023-505934-86-00) and the ethical review board (DNR 1006-17).

Hypothesis 1. An opioid-free care pathway provides non-inferior pain relief as the conventional care with opioids during the post-operative phase.

Primary endpoints: Determine the quality of recovery after surgery

1. No difference in pain (NRS pain (0-10)) between opioid-free intervention with or without (Phase 1 & 2) person-centred care and conventional treatment (control group) during the postoperative phase until discharge to the surgical ward.

Secondary endpoints:

An opioid-sparing treatment provides improved combined outcomes (composite score) consisting of 1) Self-Efficacy, 2) Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale (PQRS), hospital readmission, or death at 3 months compared to conventional treatment.

An opioid-sparing treatment results in reduced opioid consumption during the peri- and postoperative period until discharge to the ward compared to conventional treatment.

An opioid-sparing treatment results in reduced opioid consumption throughout the hospital stay compared to conventional treatment.

An opioid-sparing treatment results in decreased pain experience according to the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at 3 months and 6 months compared to conventional treatment.

An opioid-sparing treatment leads to earlier recovery after surgery measured with PQRS compared to conventional treatment postoperatively (20 minutes, 40 minutes), during hospitalization (24-72 hours), and thereafter (14 days, 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months).

An opioid-sparing treatment increases confidence in coping with unexpected events measured with the General Self-Efficacy Scale compared to conventional treatment after the in-hospital period (3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months).

An opioid-sparing treatment improves quality of life measured with RAND-36 and EQ5D compared to conventional treatment after the in-hospital period (3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months)

An opioid-sparing treatment results in equivalent length of hospital stay compared to conventional treatment during the in-hospital period.

Mapping of long-term prescription of analgesic drugs. Does an opioid-sparing treatment impact the long-term use of analgesic medications.

Explorative endpoints:

Describe the intraoperative nociception level between opioid-free anaesthesia and conventional anaesthesia using the Medasense PMD-200 (NOL) monitor.

Economic evaluation: Performing cost-utility analysis/ cost-effectiveness analyses.

Power Pain: To determine noninferiority with a power of 0.8 (i.e., the probability of > 0.8 for the lower limit of a two-sided 95% confidence interval (using Fisher's nonparametric permutation test)), the difference of change in pain using the NRS from arrival to the recovery unit after surgery to discharge from the recovery unit will be used. Forty-three patients are required in each group and phase, with an SD for the change in the NRS estimated to be 1.62 from a small pilot study (noninferiority margin -1.0). The estimated change was assumed to be equal in the groups. To compensate for a potential interruption in the study or dropouts, we chose to include 55 patients in Intervention Phase 1, 55 patients in Intervention Phase 2 and a total of 110 patients in the control group (to follow intervention Phases 1 and 2, each 55 patients).

Recovery after surgery: To detect an overall difference in the quality of recovery between groups over the entire study length, with a power of 0.8 and P < 0.05 and taking into consideration a dropout of over 30% as seen in other studies using the PQRS, we need to include at least 30 patients in each group 26.

The control group will receive usual care and treatment according to the hospital's routines, where pain relief is obtained with opioids postoperatively. Pharmacological treatment in the intervention group differs solely from the patients in the usual group by replacing opioids with the following nonopioid perioperative treatment: dexmedetomidine, esketamine, lidocaine and TENS (for exact dosing, please visit EU-CT 2023-505934-86-00). Postoperative patient-controlled pain treatment with high-intensity/high-frequency TENS is used if the patient perceives pain over NRS ≧ 3 postoperatively and during remaining hospitalisation.

Intervention Phase 1 tests the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions (TENS) compared to the control group that receives standard care with opioids intra- and postoperatively. Phase 2 intervention that follows after completion of Phase 1 intervention tests the pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions compared to conventional treatment, supplemented by an evidenced-based PCC approach throughout the continuum of postoperative care.

The two phases will primarily be analysed separately (i.e., between the control group and intervention Phase 1 and between the control group and intervention Phase 2).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

220

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Axel Wolf, RN, PhD
  • Phone Number: +46709355364
  • Email: axel.wolf@gu.se

Study Locations

    • Region Örebro
      • Lindesberg, Region Örebro, Sweden, 711 82
    • VG
      • Gothenburg, VG, Sweden, 41678
        • Recruiting
        • Sahlgrenska University hospital/ Östra hopsital
        • Contact:
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

-Patients ≥18 years planned to undergo laparoscopic obesity surgery (GBP alt Sleeve surgery) at the selected site.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • ASA> III
  • Cardiovascular disease with bradycardia (<50 bpm)
  • Serious liver disease failure
  • Insufficient knowledge of the Swedish language
  • Serious untreated psychiatric disease
  • Neurocognitive dysfunction
  • Pregnancy
  • Women of childbearing age without contraception
  • Malignant disease with expected short survival
  • Patients treated with opioids for chronic pain
  • Substance abuse
  • Hypersensitivity to Oxycodone, Esketamine, Dexmedetomidine, and Lidocaine
  • Pacemaker or ICD
  • Inability to fill in questionnaires
  • Decline participation,

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control

Control group: The patients receive the routine based anesthesiological treatment during bariatric surgery (Gastric By-Pass or Sleeve Gastrectomy). It consists of:

General anesthesia induction: TCI Remifentanil Cpt 6 ng/ml/ Cp 3.2 ng/m, Propofol 1.5-2 mg/kg iv, Desflurane/Sevuflurane MAC (0.6-0.8).

Maintained by Desflurane MAC (0.6-0.8) adjusted via BIS (40-60) and Remifentanil Cp 4-10 ng/ml.

Post-operative pain management: Oxycodone 2.5 mg iv if the pain is rated by patient NRS ≧3. Paracetamol 1 g/6 h and Diclofenac 80 mg/24 h.

The control group receives general anesthesia with Remifentanil as the routine opioid drug during general anesthesia.
Other Names:
  • Ultiva
The patient receives general anesthesia with Propofol as the routine induction anaesthetic during general anesthesia
The control group receives Oxycodone as the routine pain management drug post-operative.
The patient receives general anesthesia with Desflurane/ or Sevoflurane as the routine volatile anesthetic during general anesthesia
Other Names:
  • Desfluran
Experimental: Intervention

Induction: Dexmedetomidine 0.2 micrograms/kg/h iv 5 min+16 mcg, Esketamine 0.1mg/kg + Propofol 1.5-2 mg/kg iv, Desflurane/Sevuflurane MAC (0.6-0.8).

Maintained by Desflurane/Sevuflurane MAC (0.6-0.8) BIS (40-60), Dexmedetomidine 0.2 micrograms/kg/h, Esketamine 0.1-0.3mg/kg/h och 0.1 mg/kg in case of hypertension. End of surgery, Lidocaine 1 mg/kg iv (max 4 mg/kg /4 h), Midazolam 0.5mg

Post-operative: Dexmedetomidine (0.1-0.2 micrograms/kg/h up to 4 h post-operative). If the pain is rated NRS ≧3: Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS) with high intensive 40-50 mA for 1 minute, if the patient still NRS ≧3, the TENS treatment is repeated one more time. If pain NRS ≧3 after two treatments with TENS: Esketamine 0.1mg/kg iv + Lidocaine 0.5 mg/kg iv (max 4 mg/kg /4 h) If pain NRS still ≧3 within 30 minutes after both TENS and Esketamine/Lidocaine, 2.5 mg Oxycodone iv until NRS < 3. Perioperative and at discharge, PCC will be used for the the intervention (Phase 2 patients)

The patient receives general anesthesia with Propofol as the routine induction anaesthetic during general anesthesia
The intervention group will obtain the pharmacological treatment during both perioperative. Pharmacological treatment in the intervention group differs solely from the patients in the control group by replacing opioids with the following non-opioid treatment:
Other Names:
  • Dexdor
The intervention group will obtain the pharmacological treatment perioperatively. Pharmacological treatment in the intervention group differs solely from the patients in the control group by replacing opioids with the following non-opioid treatment:
Other Names:
  • Ketanest
The intervention group will obtain the pharmacological treatment perioperatively. Pharmacological treatment in the intervention group differs solely from the patients in the control group by replacing opioids with the following non-opioid treatment.
Other Names:
  • Xylocaine
The intervention group will obtain non-pharmacological treatment by TENS during the entire hospital stay (both perioperative and post-operative) until discharge.
Other Names:
  • TENS
The intervention tests non-pharmacological interventions compared to conventional treatment, supplemented by an evidenced-based Person-centred care PCC approach throughout the continuum of the perioperative and until 4 weeks after discharge. This will be part of patients in Phase 2
Other Names:
  • Phase 2
The patient receives general anesthesia with Desflurane/ or Sevoflurane as the routine volatile anesthetic during general anesthesia
Other Names:
  • Desfluran

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Difference in post-operative pain from admission to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACO) to discharge from the PACO unit to the surgical ward.
Time Frame: From date of randomization, difference in NRS will be assessed as the change in NRS from arrival (20 minutes after arrival) to the post-anesthesia care unit(PACU) after the surgery, to the time of discharge ( 4 hour) from the PACU to the surgical ward
Post-operative phase until discharge to the surgical ward. Pain assessed according to change in NRS (numeric rating scale). NRS (numeric rating scale for pain), (ranging from 0-10, "no pain" vs. "worst imagined pain").
From date of randomization, difference in NRS will be assessed as the change in NRS from arrival (20 minutes after arrival) to the post-anesthesia care unit(PACU) after the surgery, to the time of discharge ( 4 hour) from the PACU to the surgical ward

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Recovery after surgery
Time Frame: (20 min, 40 min), during hospitalization (24 hours-72 hours) and afterwards (14 days, 30 days, three months, six months, 12 months and 24 months)

Investigating recovery after surgery measured with the The Post-operative Quality of Recovery Scale (PostopQRS) compared with conventional postoperative therapy.

PostopQRS: Is a validated 5-dimensional instrument (Physiology, Nociception, Emotion, Cognition, ADL) in addition to questions about patient satisfaction.

The scoring of recovery is 'return to baseline values or better' which requires a change score ≥ 0 for each question. The postoperative value for each test ( Cognition has a 2 scale tolerance due to day-to-day variation) is subtracted from the baseline value, and if no difference, then the patient is recovered.

(20 min, 40 min), during hospitalization (24 hours-72 hours) and afterwards (14 days, 30 days, three months, six months, 12 months and 24 months)
Average opioid consumption perioperative
Time Frame: From the start of the Peri-operative phase (start of surgery) until discharge from hospital ( index stay), up to 24 months post-discharge
Investigating opioid consumption during the peri- and post-operative care period compared with conventional treatment until discharge from the hospital and up to 24 months discharge.
From the start of the Peri-operative phase (start of surgery) until discharge from hospital ( index stay), up to 24 months post-discharge
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: Indexed length of hospital day will be calculated in days/hours). Estimated stay is 2 days
Length of indexed hospital stays calculated as the mean length in days from admission to discharge
Indexed length of hospital day will be calculated in days/hours). Estimated stay is 2 days
Change in general Self-Efficacy
Time Frame: 3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months.

Investigating patient change in self-efficacy, measured with the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). GSES is a validated questionnaire that contains 10 questions about the person's experiences of trust in his / her ability to handle difficult situations. The patient is asked to estimate his ability on a 4-point scale (1 not true) to 4 (true).

The 10 answers are summed and a mean is calculated. Higher scores are better.

3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months.
Change in Quality of Life
Time Frame: (3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months)

Investigating the quality of life measured with the RAND-36

RAND-36: The RAND-36 is a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) It is comprised of 36 items assessing eight areas: physical functioning, role limitations caused by physical health problems, role limitations caused by emotional problems, social functioning, emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, pain, and general health perceptions.

Each item is scored 0-100, and are than summarized. 0 is low, 100 is the highest score to get.

(3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months)
Exploring patient experience
Time Frame: 2 weeks after hospital discharge

Investigating patient experience and satisfaction during the hospital stay, measured with the PPE-15, a 15 item questionnaire. The PPE15 is a validated short version of The Picker Care experience survey (40 item).

Each item has response alternatives ranging from no problem, some problem, problem. Each response is coded either as "a problem" ( problem, some problem) or as "no problem". Problem is scored as=1, no problem=0. The mean is calculated both on item level and as a total score.

2 weeks after hospital discharge
Change in health status
Time Frame: (3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months)

Investigating the change in health status measured with the EuroQol 5 dimension (EQ5D).

EQ-5D is a standardized instrument for measuring generic health status, covering five dimensions (5D); mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.

Each dimension has 3 responses: no problems, some problems, and extreme problems. This response results into a number that expresses the level selected for that dimension. The digits for the five dimensions can be combined into a 5-digit number that describes the patient's health state.

The EQ VAS records the patient's self-rated health on a vertical visual analogue scale where the endpoints are labelled 'Best imaginable health state' and 'Worst imaginable health state'.

(3 months, six months, 12 months, 24 months)
Unplanned re-admission
Time Frame: From time of surgery up until 24 months post-surgery
Investigating re-admission (un-planned) between groups.
From time of surgery up until 24 months post-surgery
Mortality
Time Frame: From time of surgery up until 24 months post-surgery
Investigating mortality rate between groups.
From time of surgery up until 24 months post-surgery

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Economic evaluation
Time Frame: During hospital stay and up to 24 months
Performing cost-utility analysis/ cost-effectiveness
During hospital stay and up to 24 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Sven-Egron Thörn, MD, PhD, Göteborg University
  • Study Chair: Axel Wolf, RN, PhD, Professor, Göteborg University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 22, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 27, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

November 28, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 2, 2026

Last Verified

November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • OS-PCC-2017
  • 2017-003830-97 (EudraCT Number)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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