Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT05895383

Self-Adjusted Nitrous Oxide: A Feasibility Study in the Setting of Vasectomy

This study is being done to see if nitrous oxide during vasectomy decreases pain and anxiety, and also assess whether patients have better satisfaction when they control their own level of nitrous oxide during the procedure. If we find that patients experience less pain or anxiety with nitrous oxide, it could be suggested that self-adjusted nitrous oxide (SANO) may be a useful tool for improving experience of care during vasectomy.

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Conditions

Procedural Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pain Catastrophizing Pain, Procedural Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Procedural Anxiety Signs and Symptoms

Age range

21 year–85 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 4

Primary location

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Peter Healy

CONTACT

[email protected]

About this study

Patients scheduled for vasectomy at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center will be contacted and offered enrollment in the study. Vasectomy will occur according to standard-of-care and all participants will receive the typical lidocaine injections at the beginning of the procedure. Before the start of the vasectomy, a study staff member will help participants put on a plastic gas mask and demonstrate how to turn the gas up or down using the remote control. Nitrous oxide and oxygen will be given through a plastic mask. A remote control given to participants will allow them to adjust the nitrous oxide based on their comfort. The Nitrouseal® machine used in this study limits nitrous oxide to concentrations to "minimal sedation" (0-50%), which are levels where a person remains awake and is able to talk and breath normally.

Before the day of a participant's vasectomy, they will be asked questions related to demographics and medical history to determine study eligibility. Immediately before and after vasectomy, participants will be asked to describe their anxiety and pain levels. At two-weeks and three-months after vasectomy, a brief electronic survey will be sent to participants' email asking about recollection of pain and anxiety and satisfaction with the procedure.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Scheduled for vasectomy
  • Aged 21 to 85 years
  • Suitable for receipt of inhaled nitrous oxide/oxygen
  • Access to an email and computer

Exclusion criteria

  • Perioral facial hair impeding good mask seal
  • Cognitive impairment that impedes ability to complete survey questions
  • Intent to use benzodiazepines or opioids "as needed" for purposes of vasectomy
  • Has any of the following medical conditions, which contraindicate use of nitrous oxide:
  • Inner ear, bariatric or eye surgery within the last 2 weeks,
  • Current emphysematous blebs,
  • Severe B-12 deficiency,
  • Bleomycin chemotherapy within the past year,
  • Heart attack within the past year,
  • Stroke within the past year,
  • Class III or higher heart failure.

Treatment and study plan

Nitrous Oxide

Drug

Nitrous oxide administered at concentrations of minimal sedation (0-50%). Participants will be able to adjust the level of gas throughout the vasectomy using a handheld remote control.

Other names: Self-adjusted nitrous oxide

Primary outcomes

  1. Procedural pain assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P)

    Time frame: Measured immediately after completion of vasectomy

    Level of pain experienced during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P; range: 0 no pain - 10 worst pain).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Anticipated pain assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P)

    Time frame: Measured immediately prior to vasectomy

    Level of anxiety anticipated during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P; range: 0 no pain - 10 worst pain).

  2. Anticipated anxiety assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A)

    Time frame: Measured immediately prior to vasectomy

    Level of anxiety anticipated during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A; range: 0 no anxiety - 10 worst anxiety).

  3. Procedural anxiety assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A)

    Time frame: Measured immediately after completion of vasectomy

    Level of anxiety experienced during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A; range: 0 no anxiety - 10 worst anxiety).

  4. Recalled pain assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P)

    Time frame: Measured two weeks and three months after vasectomy

    Level of pain recalled during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P; range: 0 no pain - 10 worst pain).

  5. Recalled anxiety assessed by the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS-P)

    Time frame: Measured two weeks and three months after vasectomy

    Level of anxiety recalled during vasectomy as measured by the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A; range: 0 no anxiety - 10 worst anxiety).

  6. Satisfaction assessed by Likert scale

    Time frame: Measured during and two weeks after vasectomy

    Satisfaction of concentration of SANO during vasectomy will be measured by the maximum concentration of SANO reached during the procedure compared to participants' response to: "How do you feel about the level of SANO you received during the vasectomy?" (less than I would like, about right, more than I would like) and "How helpful do you think SANO was in relieving your pain and anxiety?" (very helpful, unhelpful, undecided, helpful very helpful).

  7. Operator ease of performing vasectomy

    Time frame: Measured immediately after urologist finishes vasectomy

    Operating urologist will be asked to fill out a three-item "operator survey" that asks if "Patient tolerated lidocaine injection," "Patient maintained positioning," and "Patient tolerated vasectomy," "Worse than expected (-1)", "As expected (0)" or "Better than expected (+1)." The composite score will be used as a measure of operator ease.

  8. Emergent adverse events as assessed by frequency of incidents

    Time frame: Measured during and up to 30 days after day of vasectomy

    Emergent adverse events possibly related to SANO will be recorded by frequency on the day-of the vasectomy and by monitoring participants' online medical record up to 30 days after the vasectomy. Termination of SANO during the vasectomy due to discomfort, nausea, or vomiting will also be considered as adverse events related to SANO.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Heidi Rayala, MD, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

617-667-3739

Michelle Shabo, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Acronym: SANO-VAS

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jun 8, 2023
Registry last updated
Feb 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.