Precision Medicine Online: UC launches clinical trial for post-spinal surgery pain management
Precision Medicine Online highlighted a University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute clinical trial applying a personalized approach to pain management that doctors hope can improve post-surgical pain, reduce opioid dependence and reduce length of hospital stays.
More than half of patients who undergo spine surgery report poor pain control, and between 30 and 50 percent experience chronic pain for longer than 12 weeks (the time of routine tissue healing) following surgery.
Led by the University of Cincinnati's Owoicho Adogwa, MD, the trial takes patients' blood and saliva samples to see how their unique genes respond to different medications.
"Drug reactions vary significantly among individuals," Adogwa, assistant professor of neurosurgery in UC's College of Medicine, told Precision Medicine Online. "In spine surgery, traditional 'one size fits all' pain management is often inadequate due to genetic variations in drug metabolism."
Adogwa said early results of the trial have been encouraging, including shorter hospital stays for patients in the active arm of the trial.
Read the Precision Medicine Online story.
Featured photo at top of Dr. Adogwa in surgery. Photo/UC Health.
Related Stories
The biggest skin-care trends of 2026 go back to basics
January 8, 2026
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in an Allure article discussing the biggest skin-care trends of 2026.
World class: Alumni travel program connects Bearcats on global scale
January 7, 2026
Most people have a natural curiosity to see the world. Meanwhile, most Bearcats enjoy being around other Bearcats. Alumni can check both boxes through the UC Alumni Association’s travel program, which offers about half a dozen excursions each year to fascinating places around the globe.
UC launches Bearcat Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcat Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcat Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.