Mackay Base Hospital is taking part in ROCKet, an international clinical trial using ketamine to help prevent post-surgery pain for patients.
The trial supported by Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation, is one of many currently being undertaken putting the health service on the map as an innovative hospital delivering Queensland’s best regional healthcare.
Research principal investigator and Mackay Base Hospital Director of Anaesthesia Dr Danny Bartlett said pain is a debilitating post-surgery complication occurring in around 12% of patients each year.
“Chronic post-surgical pain can have a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life as well as create an economic burden to the community,” Dr Bartlett said.
He noted Mackay was performing well in recruiting participants for the trial.
“We initially hoped to recruit 50 patients in the first year but had reached that number in eight months which is a really positive step.
“Mackay is currently sitting 8th out of the 26 participating sites across Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.”
The focus on the ROCKet clinical trial coincides with International Clinical Trials’ Day, which is held on 20 May each year. The first known trial was believed to have occurred on this day in 1947 when Dr James Lind began a controlled trial comparing different treatments for scurvy among sailors in the British Royal Navy.
Each year the Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation uses International Clinical Trials Day to raise awareness of the importance of research in healthcare and celebrates the work that is being done in the Mackay HHS.