Clinical trials

The goal of this clinical trial is to use the validated PROMIS Emotional Distress - Anxiety - Short Form 8a and PROMIS Emotional Distress-Depression-Short Form pre-and post-intervention to establish a superior correlation between the auriculotherapy treatment and the reduction of perioperative anxiety. Subject population will include those having a partial or total nephrectomy for cancer. Drawing the role that auriculotherapy may play in reducing perioperative anxiety related requirement after surgery may also help in reducing the risk of opioid use disorders (OUD) since anxiety has been found to be a major risk factor for OUD in surgical patients. Therefore, this trial will also examine the effect of the auriculotherapy intervention in reducing opioid requirement after surgery.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the NEUROCUPLE device can reduce pain and opioid use after primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the NEUROCUPLE device reduce postoperative pain at rest during the first 24 hours after TKA? * Does the NEUROCUPLE device reduce opioid consumption during the first 24 hours after TKA? Researchers will compare the NEUROCUPLE device to a placebo device (identical in appearance but inactive) to see if the device reduces pain and opioid use after surgery. Participants will: * Apply the NEUROCUPLE device or placebo device for 7 days following surgery * Have their pain and opioid use monitored through clinical records and patient reporting * Report pain at rest and during movement on postoperative Days 2 and 7 * Be assessed for nausea, vomiting, device-related side effects, length of hospital stay, and overall satisfaction

Abdominal surgery, laparoscopic or open, is frequently performed at UPMC Shadyside hospital. One of the most frequent complications following abdominal surgery is a postoperative ileus. Although postoperative ileus may be the result of obstruction or leakage, in most cases postoperative ileus (POI) is the result of local irritation because of fluid overload, exogenous opioids, neurohormonal dysfunction, gastrointestinal stretch, local bleeding and inflammation. POI usually lasts between 2 to 7 days. In most cases, a nasogastric tube (NG tube) is used to relieve that gastric pressure until the resolution of the POI. The placement of a NG tube can lead to a local trauma, bleeding and pain. Pain represents a major complaint among those with POI, often contributing to prolonged hospital stays.