Efficacy study of an openly administered placebo for postoperative pain (OLP-POP study)

We are investigating a new and innovative treatment method for postoperative pain that has shown good efficacy in other pain conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic back pain and acute pain in healthy individuals. This treatment method involves administered placebos (placebo), i.e. the treated persons receive a placebo and are also informed that they are receiving a placebo. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical efficacy of openly administered placebos for acute pain in post-operative pain management.

New emergency concept at the University Hospital Basel

We are investigating whether patients who are already analyzed and instructed by a physiotherapist in the emergency center show a more favorable course of the disease. Can education in the acute phase of treatment lead to better disease management? Can this reduce the consumption of strong pain medication and reintegrate the patient more quickly into working life and everyday life?

Prehabilitation as part of a transition consultation

We examine whether patients who are in principle suitable for an operation but have certain risk factors can be better prepared for the operation as part of an interdisciplinary assessment and thus also show a better result after the operation.

The patient is assessed jointly by the spinal surgery, pain therapy, psychosomatic medicine and physiotherapy departments. The aims are

• To identify and, if possible, improve general physical deficits
• To optimize pain management
• To generate realistic expectations of the surgical outcome