NCT07378904

Sterile Water Injection vs Morphine for Renal Colic

Intradermal Sterile Water Injection Versus Intravenous Morphine for Renal Colic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 150 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Tunis El Manar · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to compare intradermal sterile water injections (ISWI) with intravenous morphine for pain relief in adults with acute renal colic caused by urinary stones. Renal colic is a common emergency characterized by sudden, severe flank pain. Rapid and effective pain control is critical for proper diagnosis and treatment. Traditional pain management uses NSAIDs or opioids like morphine, which can cause side effects or be limited in certain patients. ISWI is a simple, low-cost, non-systemic method that may provide rapid pain relief by stimulating skin nerves, which can reduce pain signals in the spinal cord and brain. In this randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, adult patients with confirmed renal stones and pain ≥4/10 on the visual analog scale (VAS) will be assigned to one of three groups: 1. Single ISWI injection 2. Four ISWI injections 3. Intravenous morphine Pain will be measured at 5, 30, 45, and 90 minutes after treatment. The main goal is to determine whether ISWI is not inferior to morphine in reducing pain at 30 minutes. Secondary goals include comparing the speed and intensity of pain relief between one versus four injections, the need for additional pain medication, and patient satisfaction. All patients will be monitored for safety, and adverse effects will be recorded. The study follows strict ethical guidelines, including informed consent. If successful, ISWI could provide a safe, effective, and easily available alternative to morphine for rapid pain relief in renal colic, with minimal side effects, and guide the best injection strategy for optimal patient comfort.

Conditions

• Renal Colic
• Urolithiasis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Single Intradermal Sterile Water Injection	single 0.5 ml sterile water injection is administered intradermally at the point of maximal pain in the thoraco-lumbar region (T11-L4). Pain will be assessed at 5, 30, 45, and 90 minutes.
PROCEDURE	Multiple Intradermal Sterile Water Injections	1 ml sterile water is divided into four intradermal injections of 0.25 ml each, spaced around the point of maximal pain in the thoraco-lumbar region (T11-L4). Pain will be assessed at 5, 30, 45, and 90 minutes.
DRUG	Intravenous Morphine	Morphine is administered intravenously at 0.1 mg/kg according to local emergency protocols. Pain will be assessed at 5, 30, 45, and 90 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-20
• Primary completion: 2026-06-30
• Completion: 2026-09-30
• First posted: 2026-01-30
• Last updated: 2026-01-30

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Tunisia