Transmucosal Uterosacral Electrical Stimulation for Pelvic Pain Relief (TUNES)

March 24, 2026 updated by: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
This study will test whether gentle electrical stimulation to nerves near the uterus can reduce pelvic pain after uterine fibroid embolization. The investigators hypothesize that participants receiving active TUNES stimulation will experience lower pain levels and improved early recovery compared to those receiving sham stimulation or standard care.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Pelvic pain after uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is common and can slow recovery and increase the need for pain medication. There is growing interest in non-pharmacologic options that may help manage this discomfort. The TUNES device delivers gentle electrical stimulation through a vaginally placed disc, targeting sensory nerves involved in pelvic pain pathways. The components and stimulation levels fall within established safety parameters for similar FDA-cleared technologies.

In this pilot study, participants will use the device for a short period after UFE under clinician supervision. The study will assess the feasibility, tolerability, and safety of this approach and explore whether this type of targeted stimulation may support improved comfort during early recovery. Findings from this work may help guide future investigation of transvaginal electrical stimulation as a potential adjunct to post-procedural pain management.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

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

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female, 28-52 years of age
  • Scheduled to undergo uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) at Weill Cornell Medicine
  • Able to provide informed consent
  • Willing to comply with all study procedures and follow-up
  • Fluent in English (for completion of study assessments)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known or suspected pregnancy
  • Active pelvic infection
  • History of pelvic inflammatory disease within the past 6 months
  • Implanted electrical device (e.g., pacemaker, neurostimulator)
  • Current use of opioid pain medication prior to procedure
  • History of chronic pelvic pain not related to fibroids
  • Known allergy or sensitivity to medical-grade silicone
  • Participation in another interventional study within 30 days

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active TUNES Device
Participants will receive the active TUNES device, which delivers low-amplitude transvaginal electrical stimulation (0-10 mA, 80-120 Hz, 100-200 µs pulse width) using a modified menstrual disc with stainless-steel electrodes. Stimulation targets the uterosacral ligaments and associated nerve plexuses involved in pelvic pain. Sessions last 20 minutes each hour for up to 12 hours after uterine fibroid embolization (UFE).
Device: TUNES (Transmucosal Uterosacral Electrical Stimulation)
The TUNES device delivers low-amplitude transvaginal electrical stimulation (0-10 mA, 80-120 Hz, 100-200 µs pulse width) through stainless steel electrodes embedded in a modified menstrual disc. The device targets sensory nerves near the uterosacral ligaments and Frankenhauser plexus involved in pelvic pain signaling. It is powered by an FDA-cleared portable TENS unit (TENS 7000®). The stimulation is administered in 20-minute sessions each hour for up to 12 hours following uterine fibroid embolization (UFE).
Other Names:
  • Transvaginal Electrical Stimulation
  • TUNES Device
  • TUNES System
Sham Comparator: Sham TUNES Device
Participants will receive an identical TUNES device that appears and feels the same as the active version but delivers no electrical current. The device will be placed for the same duration and under the same conditions as the active arm to maintain blinding and control for placebo effects.
Device: Sham TUNES Device
A non-functioning version of the TUNES device that is identical in appearance, placement, and handling but delivers no electrical stimulation. It is used to maintain blinding and control for placebo effects.
No Intervention: Standard Care Control
Participants will receive standard post-procedure care following uterine fibroid embolization, including access to patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and non-opioid pain medications as clinically indicated. No TUNES device will be used in this arm.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean number of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) activations within 12 hours after uterine fibroid embolization
Time Frame: Up to 12 hours post-UFE
The mean number of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump activations (button presses) within the first 12 hours after uterine fibroid embolization will be recorded. This measure reflects the frequency of patient-initiated pain medication use and serves as a quantitative indicator of post-procedural pain intensity. The mean number of activations will be compared across the active TUNES, sham TUNES, and control arms.
Up to 12 hours post-UFE

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean stimulation intensity over time during TUNES therapy
Time Frame: 0 to 12 hours post-UFE
For participants in the active and sham TUNES arms, the average stimulation intensity (measured in mA) will be recorded hourly during the 0-12 hour period following UFE. This measure assesses tolerance, comfort, and consistency of device use throughout this post-UFE window.
0 to 12 hours post-UFE
Mean visual analog scale (VAS) pain score within 23 hours after uterine fibroid embolization
Time Frame: Up to 23 hours post-UFE
Pain intensity will be measured using a standard 0-10 visual analog scale (VAS), where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain imaginable. VAS scores will be collected periodically during the first 23 hours post-UFE. The mean VAS score will be compared across the active TUNES, sham TUNES, and control arms to evaluate potential differences in perceived pain.
Up to 23 hours post-UFE

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Marc Schiffman, Weill Medical College of Cornell 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.

General Publications

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 (Estimated)

April 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 24, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 24, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 25-10029448

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

Yes

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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