Pain Assessment Via Force Measurement Using eEgg After Blockade of the Lumbar Facet Joints

Clinical Pain Assessment Via Force Measurement Using the eEgg in the Setting of Routine Elective Lumbar Facet Joint Blocks (SMeEgg): a Prospective, Randomized, Two-arm Pilot Study.

The emotion Egg, or "eEgg" for short, is a sample series of a device for testing a new pain measurement method that is not yet on the market. The aim is to investigate whether the trial device and the eEgg method (eEgg plus software) are suitable for supporting, improving or even replacing the communication between doctor and patient, which still takes place via the numerical rating scale (NRS) and the pain diary. Issues of acceptability in comparison to the pain diary and the NRS are to be considered. Measurements should be recorded in real time; no orientation to the previous value is possible for the patient.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Elective interventional blockade of lumbar facet joints due to lumbar facet osteoarthritis
• Chronic pain (>3 months, most severe pain on motion in the last three months ≥3 (NRS))
• Age ≥18 years
• Legal capacity
• Proficiency in the German language
• Presence of a written informed consent from the patient
• Inpatient pain patient

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participation in other interventional trials
• Individuals who have a dependent/employee relationship with the sponsor or investigator
• Cognitive impairment that could affect the use of the eEgg
• Impaired fist closure and/or reduction of gross strength in the hand area
• mono- or poly-neuropathy in the hand area
• Allergy to plastics