NCT07382596

Cervical Plexus Hydrodissection With D5W Versus NS for Treatment-Resistant PTSD

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Dr. Dean Reeves Clinic · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 19 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

PTSD is a chronic mental health condition that drastically reduces an individual's quality of life Dextrose injection with a small needle has been used for chronic pain patients and observational results have shown it to be effective in reducing anxiety, brain fog, and depression in patients with PTSD. This randomized trial will compare dextrose injection with an injection control of normal saline (NS)

Detailed description

PTSD is a well-recognized debilitating mental health condition associated with previous trauma exposure. It is part of the DSM-5 Trauma and Stressor related disorders category. Treatments for PTSD normally involve a multi-disciplinary approach. First-line treatments include psychotherapy and serotonergic reuptake inhibitors. Many patients fail pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Unilateral stellate ganglion block performed favorably for treatment of PTSD in a recent RCT, based upon an expectation that the cervical sympathetic system is neuropathically upregulated in PTSD. However, inclusion of lidocaine requires the presence of an emergency response team due to the potential for inadvertent intravascular injection with generalized seizures or hypotension, and inadvertent laryngeal or phrenic nerve block. Perineural injection of peripheral nerves, plexi, or sympathetic ganglia with dextrose 5% in water (D5W), has performed well empirically in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. No lidocaine is utilized, which allows for avoidance of lidocaine toxicity risk, or any risk of nerve block. Because of that, bilateral procedures are feasible, and these procedures can be performed in any outpatient office with ultrasound availability, as emergency team backup is not necessary, making the procedure readily accessible. A cumulative benefit has been observed, as well. The effects of BHDCP with D5W as a stand-alone treatment for PTSD is under evaluated in a randomized trial compared treatment with D5W versus delayed treatment with early results promising. This study is designed as the next step in study quality through use of an injection control. The primary outcome is the short term and long-term effect of BHDCP with D5W versus NS on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List for Civilians (PCL-C), The primary hypotheses are tha cervical plexus hydrodissection with D5W will outperform NS for the primary measure, and that the PCL\_C improvement will be equal to or greater than 15.3 (1.5 times the MCID of 10.2.). A study size of 50 planned, based on power analysis.

Conditions

• PTSD

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Dextrose 5% in water bilateral injection	Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
DRUG	Normal saline bilateral injection	Injection under the investing fascia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-01
• Primary completion: 2029-03-01
• Completion: 2029-04-01
• First posted: 2026-02-03
• Last updated: 2026-02-04

Locations

4 sites across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study