Opioids Versus Non-Opioids Postoperative After Knee Arthroscopic Surgery

February 7, 2026 updated by: Sanford Health

The Effects of Combination Therapy of Opioids Versus Non-Opioids on Postoperative Pain Management After Knee Arthroscopic Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

The purpose of this study is to look at pain management with opioids versus non-opioids after knee arthroscopy. This study will determine 1) whether the most commonly used non-narcotic medications provide pain relief comparable with the most commonly prescribed narcotic medications in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, and 2) whether patients' characteristics (gender, pre-operative knee symptoms, workers compensation status and employment status) affect pain level following surgery or medication usage.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
148

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

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

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

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

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Subjects ≥ 18 years of age through ≤ 80 years of age
  2. Subjects undergoing elective arthroscopic knee surgery, to include partial meniscectomy, chondroplasty, or loose body removal.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Previously enrolled in this study (enrolled for contralateral knee in this study)
  2. Knee arthroscopy patients scheduled for knee ligament reconstructions
  3. Bilateral knee arthroscopy
  4. History of chronic opioid use or long-term analgesic therapy
  5. Documented or suspected substance abuse
  6. Documented or suspected chronic pain syndrome
  7. Any known allergy or adverse reaction or contraindication to the components of hydrocodone, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen
  8. History or symptoms of any significant medical problem in the last year (i.e., arrhythmia, impaired cardiovascular function, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease, renal disease)
  9. With active peptic ulcer disease (history of severe heartburn)
  10. Symptoms of infection with initial enrollment
  11. Pregnant or nursing
  12. Diagnosis of cognitive impairment
  13. Unable or unwilling to provide informed consent for surgery or enrollment in this clinical study
  14. Inability to understand the requirements of the study or be unwilling to provide written informed consent (as evidenced by signature on an informed consent document approved by Institutional Review Board) and agree to abide by the study restrictions.
  15. Patient refusal
  16. Currently taking Coumadin, Plavix, anticoagulation medications, or medications that increase bleeding, with the exception of ASA 81mg.
  17. Patients with other medical or psychological health conditions that preclude them from either receiving the intervention or returning for follow-up visits.
  18. Alcoholism

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: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Opioid
Drug: Norco 5Mg-325Mg Tablet
1 tablet up to 4 times per day for 7 days
Active Comparator: Non-opioid
Drug: Ibuprofen 600 mg
1 tablet up to 4 times per day for 7 days
Drug: Acetaminophen 325Mg Tab
1 tablet up to 4 times per day for 7 days

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline Pain Assessment at 2 weeks
Time Frame: Daily for 2 weeks post-operatively
Visual Analog Scale from 0 to 10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being worst possible, unbearable, excruciating pain
Daily for 2 weeks post-operatively
Change from Baseline Medication Use at 2 weeks
Time Frame: Daily for 14 days post-operatively
Patients will be asked how many study medication capsules have they taken.
Daily for 14 days post-operatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) at 6 weeks
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-operatively
Sub-scales are listed as follows: 5 qualitative questions related to knee symptoms ranging from "never" to "always", 2 qualitative questions related to knee stiffness ranging from "none" to "extreme", 9 qualitative questions related to pain ranging from "none" to "extreme", 17 qualitative questions related to function and daily living ranging from "none" to "extreme", 5 qualitative questions related to function and sports and recreational activities ranging from "none" to "extreme", and 4 qualitative questions related to quality of life ranging from "never or not at all" to "constantly, totally, or extreme".
baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-operatively
Change from Baseline Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) at 6 weeks
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-operatively
7 qualitative questions related to pain interference with responses ranging from "not at all" to "very much"
baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-operatively

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Sanford Health

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Bruce Piatt, MD, Sanford Health

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)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 29, 2018

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 19, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 26, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 28, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 7, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SH Opioid Knee

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

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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