Effects of Biased Opioid Agonists on Gastrointestinal Recovery After Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery

November 3, 2026 updated by: Shuangqing Wu, Hainan Medical College

Effects of Biased Opioid Receptor Agonists on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Function Recovery in Patients Undergoing Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery

This randomized controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the effects of different opioid analgesics on gastrointestinal recovery after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.

Opioid medications are commonly used to manage pain after surgery, but they may cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, and delayed recovery of bowel function. Biased μ-opioid receptor agonists, such as tegileridine and oliceridine, may provide effective pain relief with fewer gastrointestinal side effects than conventional opioids.

The main question is whether biased opioid receptor agonists can shorten the time to postoperative gastrointestinal recovery compared with sufentanil, a conventional opioid analgesic.

The study plans to enroll 212 adults undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups:

  • Lower-dose tegileridine
  • Higher-dose tegileridine
  • Oliceridine
  • Sufentanil

After surgery, participants will receive the assigned medication through a patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) pump.

The primary outcome is time to gastrointestinal recovery (GI-2), defined as the time from the end of surgery until both the first bowel movement (defecation) and tolerance of solid food have occurred. The later of these two events determines the GI-2 recovery time.

Researchers will also assess the time to first passage of flatus, postoperative nausea and vomiting, gastrointestinal function scores, pain intensity, gastrointestinal ultrasound findings, analgesic requirements, and medication-related adverse events.

The findings may help determine whether biased opioid receptor agonists offer advantages over conventional opioid analgesics in supporting gastrointestinal recovery while maintaining adequate postoperative pain control.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common concern following gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Although opioid analgesics are widely used for postoperative pain management, their effects on gastrointestinal motility may contribute to delayed bowel function recovery, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and patient discomfort.

Biased μ-opioid receptor agonists have been developed to provide analgesia through preferential activation of specific opioid receptor signaling pathways. Tegileridine and oliceridine are of clinical interest because of their potential to provide effective postoperative analgesia while reducing certain opioid-associated adverse effects. However, their effects on gastrointestinal recovery following gynecologic laparoscopic surgery remain to be established.

This study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University. A total of 212 adult patients undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery are planned to be enrolled.

Participants will be randomly allocated to four parallel treatment groups receiving postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with one of the following regimens:

  • Tegileridine 0.07 mg/kg
  • Tegileridine 0.11 mg/kg
  • Oliceridine 0.36 mg/kg
  • Sufentanil 2.0 micrograms/kg

The primary outcome is time to gastrointestinal recovery (GI-2), defined as the time from the end of surgery until both the first bowel movement (defecation) and tolerance of solid food have occurred. GI-2 recovery time is determined by the later of these two events and is measured in hours.

Secondary outcomes include time to first passage of flatus, time to first bowel movement, postoperative gastrointestinal function assessed using the I-FEED score, postoperative nausea and vomiting, postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), patient-controlled analgesia use, rescue analgesia requirements, and medication-related adverse events.

Gastrointestinal ultrasound examinations will be performed to assess postoperative gastrointestinal function, including gastric antral cross-sectional area and small bowel peristaltic activity. These measurements are intended to provide additional objective information about gastrointestinal recovery.

The study will compare postoperative gastrointestinal recovery, analgesic effectiveness, and safety outcomes across the four treatment groups. The findings may provide clinical evidence to inform the selection of postoperative opioid analgesic regimens for patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

212

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • China
    • Hainan
      • Haikou, Hainan, China, 571199
        • Recruiting
        • The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University
        • 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 to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female patients aged 18 to 75 years scheduled for elective gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III.
  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m².
  • Normal preoperative liver and kidney function, with cardiopulmonary function adequate to tolerate surgery.
  • Voluntary provision of written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to provide informed consent before surgery or difficulty communicating.
  • Known allergy to any of the study medications.
  • Severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C), severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance below 30 mL/min), or ongoing long-term dialysis.
  • Severe cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, decompensated heart failure, significant arrhythmias (such as second-degree or higher atrioventricular block without a pacemaker), congenital heart disease, severe valvular disease, extensive cerebral hemorrhage, or cerebral infarction; or significant respiratory disease, including a history of asthma, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or previous pulmonary resection.
  • History of long-term opioid use before surgery or chronic pain.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Other severe medical conditions or psychiatric disorders that make participation in the study unsuitable.

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: Low-Dose Tegileridine

Participants receive postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with tegileridine at a prescribed dose of 0.07 mg/kg.
Drug: Tegileridine

Tegileridine is administered by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. The prescribed dose is 0.07 mg/kg in the low-dose group and 0.11 mg/kg in the high-dose group. Participants receive only their assigned dose regimen.
Experimental: High-Dose Tegileridine

Participants receive postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with tegileridine at a prescribed dose of 0.11 mg/kg.
Drug: Tegileridine

Tegileridine is administered by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. The prescribed dose is 0.07 mg/kg in the low-dose group and 0.11 mg/kg in the high-dose group. Participants receive only their assigned dose regimen.
Experimental: Oliceridine

Participants receive postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with oliceridine at a prescribed dose of 0.36 mg/kg.
Drug: Oliceridine

Oliceridine is administered by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery at a prescribed dose of 0.36 mg/kg.
Experimental: Sufentanil

Participants receive postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with sufentanil at a prescribed dose of 2.0 micrograms/kg.
Drug: Sufentanil

Sufentanil is administered by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery at a prescribed dose of 2.0 micrograms/kg. This group serves as the active comparator.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to Gastrointestinal Recovery (GI-2)
Time Frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days postoperatively.

GI-2 is defined as the time from the end of surgery until both the first bowel movement (defecation) and tolerance of solid food have occurred. The later of these two events determines the GI-2 recovery time, measured in hours. Participants who do not achieve GI-2 within 7 days will be recorded as not having reached the endpoint during the follow-up period.
From the end of surgery up to 7 days postoperatively.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to First Passage of Flatus
Time Frame: From the end of surgery up to 7 days postoperatively.

Time from the end of surgery to the first passage of flatus, measured in hours. A shorter time indicates earlier recovery of postoperative bowel function.
From the end of surgery up to 7 days postoperatively.
Postoperative Gastrointestinal Function (I-FEED Score)
Time Frame: At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.

Gastrointestinal function assessed using the I-FEED score at each scheduled postoperative assessment. The protocol describes a score ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse gastrointestinal function.
At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.
Postoperative Pain Intensity (VAS Score)
Time Frame: At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.

Postoperative pain intensity assessed using a 0-to-10 Visual Analog Scale, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Scores are recorded at each scheduled assessment.
At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.
Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Time Frame: Within 48 hours postoperatively.

Percentage of participants experiencing at least one episode of nausea or vomiting within 48 hours after surgery.
Within 48 hours postoperatively.
Small Bowel Peristaltic Frequency
Time Frame: At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.

Frequency of small bowel peristaltic movements assessed by ultrasonography, expressed as contractions per minute.
At 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.
Incidence of Opioid-Related Adverse Reactions
Time Frame: Within 48 hours postoperatively.

Percentage of participants experiencing at least one opioid-related adverse reaction, including dizziness, somnolence, respiratory depression, pruritus, abdominal distension, or constipation, within 48 hours after surgery.
Within 48 hours postoperatively.
Number of Patient-Controlled Analgesia Button Presses
Time Frame: Within 48 hours postoperatively.

Total number of patient-initiated button presses recorded by the patient-controlled intravenous analgesia pump during the first 48 hours after surgery.
Within 48 hours postoperatively.
Number of Rescue Analgesia Administrations
Time Frame: Within 48 hours postoperatively.

Total number of rescue analgesic administrations received by each participant within 48 hours after surgery.
Within 48 hours postoperatively.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Hainan Medical College

Collaborators

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University

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)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 20, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

November 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-K51-01

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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