Evaluation of the Efficacy of Electromagnetic Therapy on Postoperative Surgical Pain After Uni- and Bilateral Inguinal Hernia Repair. (ELEFANT)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01842204 |
Recruitment Status : Unknown
Verified June 2015 by University Hospital, Ghent.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
First Posted : April 29, 2013
Last Update Posted : June 3, 2015
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A monocentric interventional randomized placebo controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of the post surgical and wound care recovery kit.
It's a small device that consists of a thin metal ring that is placed on the skin surface, non-invasively. It's connected with a small battery. When the plastic tag is removed and the button is pushed the device is activated. Within the ring a Pulsed Electromagnetic Field is created. It influences the receptor-ligand binding at the cell surface and might improve wound healing by diminishing wound edema and inflammation. It possibly helps reducing the inflammatory reaction induced by surgery.
Patients will be treated for uni or bilateral inguinal hernias and at the end of surgery, at the time of bandage, a kit will be applied at the level of the incision. One group will at random receive a working device, the other half will have a kit without active electromagnetic field.
Postoperative analgesic consumption will be measured in a diary and pain and quality of life will be measured using Visual Analogue Scale and EuraHS-Quality Of Life questionnaires.
The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the placement of the device reduces the acute postoperative pain and whether it reduces the incidence of chronic groin pain.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Inguinal Hernias | Device: Magnetic field therapy device Device: Non magnetic field therapy device. | Phase 1 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 75 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Care Provider) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Evaluation of the Efficacy of Electromagnetic Therapy on Postoperative Surgical Pain After Uni- and Bilateral Inguinal Hernia Repair. |
Study Start Date : | May 2013 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | December 2015 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | December 2015 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: active kit
Patient receives an active kit with pulsed electromagnetic field over wound surface area.
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Device: Magnetic field therapy device
Therapy device for 1 week.
Other Name: Post-surgical and wound care recovery kit. |
Placebo Comparator: non-active kit
Patient receives a non-active kit.
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Device: Non magnetic field therapy device.
Non-active device for 1 week.
Other Name: Post-surgical and Wound care recovery kit. |
- Postoperative analgesic requirement after 1 week. [ Time Frame: 1 week after the surgery. ]Evaluation through Questionnaires, VAS, euraHS QOL, diary.
- chronic pain at 3 months post-surgery. [ Time Frame: 3 months post surgery. ]Clinical evaluation and VAS.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Written informed consent from the patient
- Primary, unilateral and bilateral groin hernias
Exclusion Criteria:
- No written informed consent
- Recurrent hernias
- 'Incarcerated' hernias
- pregnant women: reaction of a Pulsed Electromagnetic Field on the foetus is unknown
- Patients with pacemaker or Internal defibrillator

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01842204
Contact: Frederik Berrevoet, MD, PhD, FACS | Frederik.Berrevoet@ugent.be |
Belgium | |
Ghent University Hospital | Recruiting |
Ghent, Belgium, 9000 | |
Contact: Frederik Berrevoet, MD, PhD, FACS Frederik.Berrevoet@ugent.be | |
Principal Investigator: Frederik Berrevoet, MD, PhD, FACS | |
Sub-Investigator: Aude Vanlnander, MD |
Principal Investigator: | Frederik Berrevoet, MD, PhD, FACS | University Hospital, Ghent |
Responsible Party: | University Hospital, Ghent |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01842204 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2013/234 |
First Posted: | April 29, 2013 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | June 3, 2015 |
Last Verified: | June 2015 |
inguinal hernia |
Hernia Hernia, Inguinal Pathological Conditions, Anatomical Hernia, Abdominal |