CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT02729480Updated Oct 12, 2023

Clinical Trial of Wireless CranioFacial Nerve Stimulation (CFNS) for the Treatment of CranioFacial Neuropathic Pain

An interventional study of Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System in Facial Pain, sponsored by Curonix LLC. Completed at 7 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-10-12.

Sponsored by Curonix LLC · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was Feb 2022, 4 years 8 months ago, and no results have been posted to the registry.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of craniofacial nerve stimulation for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Read the detailed description

Subjects will be randomized at enrollment into either a delayed or immediate continuation group. The immediate continuation group will immediately continue with the stimulation after a 30-day trial period and will be monitored for a total of 12 months. The delayed activation group will have their device turned off after the 30-day trial period for the next 3-months. At the 3-month visit, both groups be evaluated and the delayed activation group will have their devices reactivated.

Subjects will have neuropathic pain of various etiologies, including trauma, surgery or post-herpetic infections. Stimulators will be placed at the site target of the painful area, including the epifascial plane under the skin but above the muscles in the vicinity of the targeted branches of; A. Branches of Trigeminal Nerves in the Ophthalmic, Maxillary, or Mandibular B. Sensory branches of Facial Nerves C. Branches of the Occipital Nerves (Greater and/or Lesser) D. Branches of the Cervical Plexus (Superficial and/or Deep)

02

Conditions studied

  • Facial Pain
03

In context

Neuralgia

1,287 studies on the registry are indexed under Neuralgia; 256 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 60 is above the median of 52 across 973 interventional studies indexed under Neuralgia.

Browse Neuralgia studies →

Lead sponsor

Curonix LLC is the lead sponsor of 9 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Subject is ≥ 18 years of age at time of informed consent
  • Subjects have been diagnosed with Cranial-facial pain with an average VAS > 5 (on a 0-10 scale) over the course of the last month based on baseline pain diary.
  • Subject diagnosis with neuropathic cranial-facial pain refractory to conventional medical management for at least 12 months prior to enrollment;
  • Based on the medical opinion of the Principal Investigator, subject has a stable pain medication regimen for 3 months prior to study entry.
  • Based on the medical opinion of the Principal Investigator, subject has a stable Tricyclic regimen for 3 months prior to study entry
  • No medication overuse and not attributed to another causative disorder
  • Based on the medical opinion of the Principal Investigator, there is no evidence of anatomic abnormalities that could jeopardize the placement of the device or pose a hazard to the subject;
  • Based on the opinion of the Principal Investigator, subject is willing and able to operate the patient programmer, recharging equipment, diary and has the ability to undergo study assessments and provide accurate responses;
  • Based on the opinion of the implanter, subject is a good surgical subject for the implant procedure;
  • Subject is willing to undergo surgical implant procedure, attend visits as scheduled, and comply with the study requirements;
  • Subject is male or non-pregnant female as determined with a negative pregnancy test at baseline visit, and if sexually active, must be using a medically acceptable method of contraception for the duration of their study participation;
  • Subject is deemed to be neuro-psycho-socially appropriate for implantation therapies based of the assessment of a Clinical Psychologist, using face-to-face encounters and the psychological testing described in the measures;
  • Patient is capable of giving informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • A. Subject has undergone botulinum toxin (BOTOX) injections of the head and/or neck in the last 3 months.
  • Unresolved Malignancies in last six months;
  • Subject has a history of migraine, headaches of central origin or trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias;
  • Subject has postherpetic neuralgia (shingles);
  • Complete deafferentation of all branches of the trigeminal, facial, occipital nerves and cervical plexus;
  • Subject has an active systemic infection or is immune-compromised;
  • Based on the medical opinion of the Principal Investigator, Psychologist and/or Psychiatrist, the subject has other psychological conditions (e.g., psychosis, suicidal ideation, borderline personality disorder, somatization, narcissism), other health conditions (e.g., substance abuse, another chronic condition requiring the regular use of opioid medication), or other legal concerns that would preclude his/her enrollment in the study or potentially confound the results of the study;
  • Subject is currently enrolled in or plans to enroll in any concurrent drug and/or device study while participating in this study;
  • Insulin-dependent diabetic who is not controlled through diet and/or medication (determined by the physician) or non-insulin dependent diabetic who is not well controlled through diet and/or medication;
  • Bleeding complications or coagulopathy issues;
  • Pregnant/lactating or not using adequate birth control;
  • A life expectancy of less than one year;
  • Any active implanted device whether turned off or on;
  • A previous peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) experience for the treatment of facial pain including a failed trial or explanted device;
  • Conditions requiring Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) evaluation or diathermy procedures;
  • Subject is currently involved in litigation regarding injury, or is receiving worker's compensation benefits.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Continued Stimulation Group

    Subjects randomized to this group will have the Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System activated immediately.

    Device: Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System

  • Active comparator
    Delayed Continuation Group

    Subjects randomized to this group with have the Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System activated after 90 days.

    Device: Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System

Interventions

  • DeviceHalo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System

    The Halo Craniofacial Nerve Stimulator System is a wirelessly powered neurostimulator for pain in the face or head (not for headaches or migraine). This technology includes an implanted stimulator with an embedded receiver. The energy source is a small, external, rechargeable transmitter, which is worn by the patient. The transmitter sends the therapy program and power through the skin to the receiver.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Score

    To achieve a sustained 50% reduction in pain measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: 3 months

  2. Incidence and severity of adverse events

    Time frame: 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Percentage change from baseline in VAS for facial pain

    Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

  2. Percent change from baseline in the Brief Pain Inventory-facial (BPIF) Questionnaire

    Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

  3. Subject satisfaction with the therapy as measured by the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC)

    Time frame: 3 months

  4. Change from baseline in quality of life, Physical component score using Medical Outcomes Short Form SF-36

    Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

  5. Change from baseline in quality of life, Mental component score using Medical Outcomes Short Form SF-36

    Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

  6. Change from baseline in pain rating index from the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ-SF-2)

    Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

07

Study locations

7 sites
  • International Spine, Pain & Performance Center
    Washington, District of Columbia 20037, United States
  • Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indiana University
    Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
  • Prizm Pain Management
    Canton, Michigan 48187, United States
  • Minimally Invasive Pain Institute
    Utica, New York 13502, United States
  • University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine
    Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States
  • Pennsylvania Hospital, Dept. of Neurosurgery
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106, United States
  • baylor College of Medicine
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — De-identified participant data for all primary endpoints will be made available within 6 months of study completion.

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 12, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02729480
Lead sponsor
Curonix LLC
Collaborators
Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, International Spine, Pain and Performance Center, Washington DC, USA, Minimally Invasive Pain Institute, Utica, New York, USA, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Baylor College of Medicine, Prizm Pain Management, Canton, Michigan
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 6, 2016
Start date
Feb 1, 2017
Primary completion
Feb 1, 2022
Completion
Oct 1, 2022
Last update
Oct 12, 2023

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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