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Pain Perception During Intra-Articular Knee Joint Injection: What is the Effect of Needle Gauge and the Use of Ethyl Chloride?

NCT06865170 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 88

Last updated 2026-01-29

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study aims to investigate factors that affect the subjective experience of pain during and after intra-articular knee joint injection of steroids by comparing needle gauge size (22 G vs 25 G needles), as well as the presence or absence of topical ethyl chloride spray. Additionally, this study will investigate the effects of other various factors on patients' pain associated with the injection. Lastly, this study aims to determine the effect of patients' subjective pain from the injection on long-term clinical outcomes.

Specific aims are as follows:

Aim 1): Determine the effect of needle gauge size on patient reported pain associated with an ultrasound-guided intra-articular knee injection.

Aim 2): Determine the effect of ethyl chloride spray on patient reported pain associated with an ultrasound-guided intra-articular knee injection.

Aim 3): Determine the effect of sex, age, BMI, thigh size, severity of OA, and fear of needles on patient pain associated with an ultrasound-guided intra-articular knee injection.

Aim 4) Determine the effect of patient pain from the procedure on longer term clinical outcomes after an ultrasound-guided intra-articular knee steroid injection.

Researchers will obtain data at various time points, including pre-procedural data, immediately after the procedure, 24-48 hours after, and 6 weeks post-procedure.

Participants will:

Consent to receiving an intra-articular knee joint injection with steroids if indicated.

Score their "procedural" pain immediately following the procedure, score their post-procedural "soreness" 24-48 hours after via telephone call, and score their overall knee pain about 6 weeks after the procedure via telephone call.

Conditions

  • Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee
  • Fear of Needles

Interventions

PROCEDURE

25 gauge needle

This intervention will observe patients post-procedural pain using a 25 gauge needle

PROCEDURE

22 gauge needle

This intervention will observe patients post-procedural pain using a 22 gauge needle

PROCEDURE

+/- Ethyl Chloride Topical Aerosol Anesthetic

This intervention will observe patients post-procedural pain when using topical ethyl chloride spray. This will be compared to a placebo spray which will utilize isopropyl alcohol.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of California, Davis

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Max Age
89 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-05-31
Primary Completion
2026-05-31
Completion
2026-05-31
FDA Drug
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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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 NCT06865170 on ClinicalTrials.gov