NAC-REPAIR for Post-surgical Pain

This pilot asks whether peri-operative N-acetylcysteine (NAC) improves recovery after common outpatient hand/foot-ankle surgery-specifically, does NAC reduce pain and opioid use and enhance function by modulating redox-inflammatory pathways? Primary objectives are to establish feasibility (accrual, adherence, follow-up), estimate NAC vs placebo effects on pain, function, and opioid consumption, and characterize inflammatory signatures that may predict response. Methods: a single-site, double-blind, 1:1 randomized trial (N≈80) comparing NAC 1,200 mg twice daily for 14 days (starting pre-op) vs matching placebo; daily e-diaries for POD0-14; standardized outcomes (PROMIS Pain Interference; QuickDASH or FAAM; PGIC; opioid MME); and small blood draws pre-surgery and at two follow-up visits for cytokine profiling.

NCT Number	NCT07227649
Lead Sponsor	University of Arizona Collaborators: Banner University Medical Center
Conditions	Carpal Tunnel Surgery, Trigger Finger Disorder, De Quervain Syndrome, Guyon's Canal, Dupuytren Contracture, Morton Neuroma, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, Plantar Fasciopathy +1 more
Enrollment	80 participants
Start Date	2026-10-15
Primary Completion	2027-01-15 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-07-15 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-07-17