University of Minnesota
This randomized clinical trial will compare suzetrigine with standard analgesia for postoperative pain management after skin cancer surgery. Adults undergoing Mohs micrographic surgery or wide local excision for cutaneous malignancy or a skin-cancer precursor lesion of the head and neck will be randomized to suzetrigine monotherapy or scheduled acetaminophen plus ibuprofen for 72 hours after surgery. The study uses a double-blind, double-dummy design, and breakthrough oxycodone may be prescribed in either arm on request after same-day clinical assessment. The primary objective is to determine whether suzetrigine controls acute postoperative pain as well as scheduled acetaminophen plus ibuprofen during the first 24 hours after the first dose. Secondary outcomes include rescue opioid consumption, pain through 48 and 72 hours, satisfaction with pain control, functional recovery, adverse events, surgical bleeding, wound-healing complications, and blinding integrity.
Postoperative pain after Mohs micrographic surgery and wide local excision is commonly managed with non-opioid analgesics, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen. However, some patients undergoing skin cancer surgery are older, medically complex, or receiving antithrombotic therapy, and postoperative analgesic choices may be limited. Suzetrigine is an FDA-approved non-opioid analgesic for moderate to severe acute pain in adults and may provide an alternative postoperative pain strategy. This study is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, parallel-group Phase…
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Biopsy-proven cutaneous malignancy of the head or neck, including melanoma, melanoma in situ, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, or basal cell carcinoma, or a biopsy-confirmed precursor lesion to skin cancer requiring excision * Planned treatment by Mohs micrographic surgery or wide local excision * Surgical defect requiring intermediate layered closure, complex closure, adjacent tissue transfer, or full-thickness skin graft * Able to take oral medications * Access to an electronic diary device, or willingness to use a paper backup * Able to provi…
Participants will receive suzetrigine 100 mg orally once as a loading dose in clinic after surgery, followed by suzetrigine 50 mg orally every 12 hours through 72 hours. Matching placebo capsules will be used at intervening dosing times to preserve blinding.
Participants will receive acetaminophen 1000 mg orally every 8 hours plus ibuprofen 400 mg orally every 6 hours through 72 hours after surgery. Matching placebo capsules will be used at suzetrigine dosing times to preserve blinding.