Pupillometry in Identifying Risk of Postoperative Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression, Postoperative Complications (Cardiopulmonary), Respiratory Complications Due to Anesthesia

In brief

This study will evaluate whether quantitative pupillometry measurements can be used to identify children at risk for postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) following tonsillectomy. Opioid-induced respiratory depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication that can occur after surgery, and current monitoring approaches are limited in their ability to predict which patients are at highest risk. In this prospective observational cohort study, approximately 300 pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy will undergo non-invasive pupillometry measurements at defined perioperative time points, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. Pupillometry measurements will be collected using a commercially available, FDA-regulated infrared pupillometer. These measurements will include pupil size, constriction and dilation velocities, and latency in response to light stimulation. Pupillometry data will be collected for research purposes only and will not be used to guide clinical care or treatment decisions. Standard clinical care will not be altered as part of this study. Clinical outcomes, including the occurrence of postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression, opioid use, sedation levels, pain scores, and other postoperative events, will be recorded from the medical record. The goal of this study is to evaluate the relationship between pupillary response patterns and the occurrence of postoperative respiratory depression, and to support the development of predictive models that may improve early identification of patients at risk for opioid-related adverse events.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07573150

Run by

NeurOptics Inc

People needed

300

Starts

2026-05-04

Expected to finish

2027-04-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-08

Who can join

Age: 3 and older, up to 17. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age 3 to less than 18 years
• Scheduled to undergo tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy
• Planned postoperative recovery in a monitored clinical setting (e.g., post-anesthesia care unit)
• Ability to obtain informed consent from parent or legal guardian and assent from the participant when developmentally appropriate

You may not qualify if…

• Known neurologic or ophthalmologic conditions that may affect pupillary function
• Use of medications known to significantly alter pupillary response outside of standard perioperative care
• Inability to obtain adequate pupillometry measurements (e.g., due to eye injury or inability to safely perform measurement)
• Patients not receiving opioids as part of perioperative care
• Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with study participation or data interpretation

Where it is running

• UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States (enrolling)
• UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital — San Francisco, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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