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Seed Grants - Feasibility of a Definitive Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Cannabinoid Oil, Versus Placebo, on Chronic Pain, Post-Surgical Pain and Functional Outcomes in Patients Undergoing TKA
Feasibility of a Definitive Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Cannabinoid Oil, Versus Placebo, on Chronic Pain PostSurgical Pain and Functional Outcomes in Patients Undergoing TKA
Primary Investigator: Jason Busse, DC, PhD
Start Date: 2017
Brief Overview and Progress to Date
Each year, approximately 67,000 Canadians undergo knee replacement surgery. Up to 20% develop persistent post-surgical pain - a complaint that is associated with depression, anxiety, unemployment and reduced quality of life. Moreover, chronic pain after surgery is often managed with opioid therapy, which typically provides only modest benefits and is associated with rare but serious adverse events, such as overdose and death. Several studies have found that greater pain just before and after knee replacement surgery is associated with the development of chronic pain, suggesting that reducing peri-operative pain may help prevent chronic post-surgical pain.
We have been pursuing a pilot randomized controlled trial to explore the feasibility of a definitive trial of peri-operative cannabidiol (CBD) to prevent persistent post-surgical pain after total knee replacement. We had to overcome several bureaucratic hurdles to receive Health Canada approval for our interventional product, but have now recruited 10 of our target 40 patients.
If our trial demonstrates feasibility, we will be positioned to pursue a definitive trail to establish if peri-operative administration of CBD is effective in reducing the prevalence of persistent pain after knee replacement surgery.
