Ketamine for Pain, Opioid Use, and Mental Health in Orthopedic Trauma Patients

Recruiting now · Phase 4

Conditions studied: Orthopedic Trauma Surgery Patients, Postoperative Pain, Opioid Use, Depression, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

In brief

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if ketamine, given during surgery, can help improve recovery for adults with serious orthopedic trauma. The study will test whether ketamine reduces pain, lowers the need for opioids, and improves mental health outcomes like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The main questions it aims to answer are: Does ketamine reduce pain after surgery compared to standard anesthesia? Does ketamine reduce the amount of opioids patients need for pain control? Does ketamine improve symptoms of depression and PTSD after orthopedic trauma? Researchers will compare patients who receive ketamine during surgery with those who receive standard anesthesia without ketamine to see if ketamine helps improve both physical and psychological recovery. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of ketamine or standard anesthesia during surgery. Report their pain using a simple pain scale (Visual Analog Scale, VAS). Complete short surveys about mood and mental health (PHQ-9 for depression and PCL-5 for PTSD) at several time points after surgery. Allow the research team to review their electronic medical records to measure opioid prescriptions during recovery. Attend follow-up visits in clinic or by secure telehealth (e.g., Zoom) at 1-7 days, 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06903819

Run by

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

People needed

90

Starts

2025-11-06

Expected to finish

2028-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-24

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults aged 18-65
• Undergoing acute operative fixation for musculoskeletal trauma
• Injury Severity Score (ISS) greater than 15
• Ability to provide informed consent (or consent provided by a legally authorized representative)

You may not qualify if…

• Age under 18 or over 65
• Use of ketamine for preoperative or postoperative sedation
• Known allergy or contraindication to ketamine
• Prior unsuccessful ketamine therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) or PTSD
• Severe psychiatric conditions or psychotic features
• History of dementia or glaucoma
• Currently engaged in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy or PTSD psychotherapy started within the past 3 months

Where it is running

• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock — Lubbock, Texas, United States (enrolling)
• University Medical Center — Lubbock, Texas, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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