View clinical trials related to Chronic Pancreatitis.
Filter by:The major clinical features of chronic pancreatitis include glandular (exocrine and endocrine) failure and pain. Pain has remained a major clinical challenge and is present in up to 90% of patients and is the primary cause of hospitalization in most patients. Unfortunately, pain in chronic pancreatitis has been very difficult to treat. The investigators hypothesize that the best method to reliably abolish peripheral nerve signaling is the use of a local anesthetic within the target organ (i.e. pancreas). This can best be done during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Since ERCP is done under deep sedation or general anesthesia, it is critical to select a local anesthetic whose effect persists well after recovery from the procedure; if not, the assessment of the effect of the local anesthetic on pain will be impossible to assess. The investigators have therefore chosen liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel, Pacira Pharmaceuticals), which is an FDA approved product for local infiltration that has a longer duration of action (up to 72 hours) and a slower absorption into the systemic circulation, avoiding high plasma concentrations.
This investigation develops an online, patient self-assessment system, called "CarePrep" to support the care and clinical research of patients with chronic pancreatic disease and chronic pancreatic pain. This web-based assessment presents patients with questions that address medical, psychological, social, behavioral, and quality-of-life issues that are relevant to pancreatic disease. Patients will be given the opportunity to enter and track their symptoms over the Internet from home or clinic. The system is also designed to gather clues to identify neuropathic pain, which occurs when the nervous system fails to properly regulate pain signals. Any of these factors can contribute to chronic pain and may point the way to more effective treatment. The broad objective of this study is to extend CarePrep to cover a full range of topics that are relevant to chronic pancreatic disease. The study team will refine this content based on the system's accuracy in real clinical settings and direct efforts to maximize its feasibility.
This study is testing whether the addition of a noninvasive form of brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) when combined with meditation helps decrease the abdominal pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. The device involved in this study, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is investigational. This means that the study device is still being tested in research studies and is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA].