NCT05693337

Infrared Imaging in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Infrared (FLIR) Imaging as a Monitor for Sympathetic Blocks in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research proposal aims to investigate the potential use of Infrared (FLIR) imaging to monitor the successful achievement of the sympathetic blockade in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Detailed description

Sympathetic blocks are clinically used to diagnose and treat sympathetically mediated pain. Despite the frequent use of these blocks, there remains a need for an objective method to determine the achievement of a sympathetic block in the clinical setting. Current clinical practice assess the success of a sympathetic block by observation of clinical signs of sympathetic blockade. These signs include monitoring skin temperature, pulse amplitude, blood oxygen, or any combination of these methods. However, clinical signs of sympathetic blockade often demonstrate an unpredictable or delayed response and can make monitoring difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an objective monitoring method that is reliable, rapid response, and not affected by the other confounders. One potential method is the use of thermal camera imaging (FLIR). Such a monitor could increase procedural accuracy and efficiency, thus improving patient care. To plan the prospective treatment options, objective confirmation of successful sympathetic block is essential to differentiate sympathetically mediated pain (SMP) versus sympathetically independent pain (SIP). In this context, utilization of a monitor with a rapid response and easy clinical applicability, would serve as an objective endpoint for evaluating sympathetic blockade both clinically and for future research. Therefore, this research proposal aims to investigate the infrared (FLIR) thermal camera as an objective method for determining the achievement of sympathetic block in the clinical setting.

Conditions

• Complex Regional Pain Syndromes

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR) thermal imaging	The FLIR camera will collect temperature recordings pre-procedure and 5 minutes post-procedure, which will be used to calculate a delta T to assess achievement of a successful sympathetic block.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-01-09
• Primary completion: 2023-06-06
• Completion: 2023-07-06
• First posted: 2023-01-23
• Last updated: 2024-12-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study