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Enhancing Cognitive Processing Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Via Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment: A Pilot Trial

NCT05534126 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2025-10-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an effective first-line, evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite its well-demonstrated effectiveness, research has shown that approximately two-thirds of individuals continue to meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD even after successful treatment completion. Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) treatment, involving a local anesthesia injection to the stellate ganglion (around the lower base of the neck), has been shown to block its pain signal transmissions. Prior case studies and reviews have provided evidence for reducing PTSD symptoms with SGB treatment. However, studies to date have only examined SGB as a standalone intervention. The utility of combining CPT with concurrent SGB treatment remains unknown, although it is plausible that the combination of the two treatments can improve the effectiveness of CPT alone. The present study aims to test this hypothesis by comparing either a combined 1-week massed CPT + SGB treatment and 1-week massed CPT + placebo treatment (saline injection) using a randomized controlled trial design.

Conditions

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment

Stellate ganglion block procedure is a treatment that involves injection of local anesthetic around the stellate ganglion (located at the base of the neck) to block its transmission of pain signals.

PROCEDURE

Placebo

Sham

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Rush University Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-11-01
Primary Completion
2025-09-30
Completion
2025-09-30

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05534126 on ClinicalTrials.gov