This is a research study to find out if Qutenza 8% capsaicin topical system is safe and effective when treating subjects with lower back pain (LBP) that is caused by damage at or near the nerve's root in the lower back leg (lumbosacral radiculopathy) which is pain that can move all the way down the back of the leg. The pain may also start outside of the spinal cord, in the peripheral nerves and may also be felt all the way down the back of the leg (neuropathic LBP). Qutenza 8% capsaicin, the study drug, is currently FDA approved to treat nerve pain after a shingles outbreak in addition to a type of nerve pain in the feet associated with diabetes. In this study a maximum of four patches per visit (sized 14cm x 20 cm) will be used to deliver the Qutenza 8% capsaicin to your skin.

If a subject meets the qualifications for this study, in addition to their standard of care for their LBP, they will be treated with Qutenza 8% capsaicin topical system and can expect to have a total of 5 visits in a 12 month period. Each visit will require subjects to fill out several surveys and receive treatment patches for their LBP (your doctor will decide if you will need to be retreated at each visit based on your symptoms). This is an open-label study and all participants will receive Qutenza 8% capsaicin topical system. The study visits are estimated to take 90 minutes upwards to 120 minutes.

The APEX 3D™ Total Ankle Replacement System is intended to reduce pain and restore motion to a failing ankle joint due to rheumatoid, post-traumatic, or degenerative arthritis. In 2020, the APEX 3D™ Total Ankle Replacement System received 510(K) clearance from the FDA, demonstrating that the device is marketed as safe and effective. The primary objective of this research study is to determine implant survivorship. Enrollment is expected to take approximately one to two years. All subjects will be followed for ten years post-operatively. Study follow-up visits will occur at 6-weeks, 6-months, and annually for ten years after surgery. During the pre-operative visit and each follow-up visit, subjects will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires that assess their levels of pain, function, mobility, and quality of life. Comparison of pre-operative scores to post-operative scores can be used to assess the improvement in patient function, thus supporting the benefit and clinical performance of the intervention. As with any clinical research study, there is a risk of unintended personal health information disclosure.

This study aims to investigate innovative approaches to managing chronic pain and opioid use. This study consists of two phases, each offering different treatment options. Participation is voluntary.

This study will sequentially evaluate three novel and scalable interventions for at-risk individuals on long term opioid therapy for chronic pain: (1) low-dose transdermal buprenorphine initiation without a period of opioid withdrawal; (2) a brief Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for pain (CBI); and (3) transcranial magnetic stimulation by examining standardized repeated measures of clinical outcomes at baseline, during treatment, and at follow-up.

Phase 1:
In this initial phase, all participants will have a 1-week open-label trial of buprenorphine (worn as a patch on the arm, shoulder or upper-back). This trial aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of buprenorphine in managing chronic pain and opioid use. During this phase, participants will have the opportunity to experience the effects of buprenorphine under close monitoring.

Phase 2:
After completing Phase 1, participants will have the opportunity to choose their next course of treatment. They can decide to continue with buprenorphine, and undergo a 1-week trial of either real buprenorphine or a placebo (an inactive substance). They will be randomly assigned to receive either real or placebo buprenorphine. If participants respond well to buprenorphine treatment, they may continue the medication under the care of their physician.

Alternatively, participants can explore an alternative treatment called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Phase 2. If they opt for rTMS, they will receive either real rTMS or a sham version interspersed with cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham rTMS.

In both phases, participants will receive close monitoring and attend regular study visits to assess safety and progress. Throughout the study, they will be asked to complete questionnaires about pain, functioning and opioid use, undergo physiological monitoring and blood samples will be collected at specific points.

It's important to note that there are potential risks associated with the study medication, such as difficulty sleeping, nausea, and dizziness. Additionally, for the rTMS arm, there is risk of mild headache, pain at the stimulation site, and there may be unknown risks related to the brain stimulation.

Participants' experience in Phase 1 will involve an open-label trial of buprenorphine, and participants' decisions in Phase 2 will determine the treatment path. While the effectiveness of these treatments is uncertain, participants will receive thorough monitoring throughout the study, and have the option to withdraw at any time. Improvement in participant symptoms is possible but not guaranteed.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis often suffer from severe abdominal pain that reduce their quality of life. The major purpose of this study is evaluate the safety and efficacy of an infusion of donor derived mesenchymal stem cells to relieve chronic pain. After cell infusion into the vein, the participant will be followed for 6 months to evaluate their pain and other outcomes. There are a total of 5 clinic visits with a total study participation of up to 7 months.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis often suffer from severe abdominal pain that reduce their quality of life. The major purpose of this study is evaluate the safety and efficacy of an infusion of the patient's own stem cells to relieve chronic pain. The stem cells will be isolated from the patient's bone marrow and grown in the clean lab to be used for treatment. After infusion into the vein, the participant will be followed for 12 months to evaluate their pain and other outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to find out whether a web-based intervention using a mobile app is helpful for teens and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) in learning how to care for and manage their symptoms. 272 teens and adults with SCD will be enrolled in this study which is being conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston SC., East Carolina University in Greenville NC., University of Miami in Miami FL., and the University of Alabama in Birmingham AL.

Over 2400 people who have sickle cell disease and are between the ages of 15 and 45 have been enrolled into the National Registry (SCDIC-I) of patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). A rich resource of natural history data, the SCDIC-I Registry has longitudinal data collected yearly since 2016 from patient surveys (e.g. self reported pain incidences, sleep, barriers to care, experiences during and after pregnancy), medical record abstraction (e.g. medications, transfusion history, co-morbidities) and laboratory results. The 150 patients (or 1200 among the 8 sites) will be selected from both MUSC adult and pediatric SCD clinics starting at 12 years of age; those not previously enrolled in the SCDIC National Registry will be offered the possibility to enroll in SCDIC-II.
We will look at the following:
1- Compare the effect of new SCD medications – crizanlizumab, voxelotor, and L-glutamine – on clinical outcomes in individuals with SCD.
2 - Identify genetic and genomic predictors of response to crizanlizumab, voxelotor, and L-glutamine
3 - Integrate study data into the CureSCi metadata catalog (MDC) to enhance future cross-study analyses.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between reflexes in the leg and the presence of neuropathic pain. The researchers are recruiting 30 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) total, 15 individuals with neuropathic pain due to SCI and 15 individuals without neuropathic pain. For this portion of the study, there are 2 visits. The first visit will examine cutaneous reflexes in the leg. During the second visit, the study team will assess sensation in the leg and administer questionnaires about pain, functioning, and quality of life.

The purpose of the second part of the study is to examine the effect of reflex training in the leg to decrease neuropathic pain. For this, the researchers are recruiting 15 individuals with neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury to participate in the reflex training procedure. The study involves approximately 50 visits with a total study duration of about 6.5 months (3 months for baseline and training phases followed by 1 month and 3 month follow-up visits).

Twelve patients with osteoarthritis of the knee will undergo Geniculate Artery Embolization for treatment of knee pain. Prior to the procedure, patients will undergo MRI imaging of the affected knee which will include contrast enhanced images and dynamic contrast enhanced images. The MRI will measure the degree of abnormal blood flow in the synovial lining of the knee joint as well as change in the knee joint structure found in osteoarthritis. Patients will be followed at 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure, and knee pain as well as medication usage will be assessed at each interval. At the 6-month visit, patients will undergo a second MRI with contrast that will be used to compare the changes in blood flow and knee joint structure.

The study is being done to find out if this approach (8 sessions of the Internet-based program with education) is better or worse than the usual approach plus education only for cancer-related pain. The usual approach is defined as care most people get for cancer-related pain.