Reframe Daily: ER ultrasound pain block cut delirium after hip fractures, and semaglutide was tested around stroke clot-removal

Reframe Daily—curated by Christin Chong (neuroscience PhD, Buddhist chaplain, healthtech strategy consultant)—delivers optimistic and credible health research updates you won’t find in most popular news outlets, from sources scientists and healthcare providers read and trust.

Today in one sentence: Doctors tested new ways to protect the brain and ease pain—using an ultrasound nerve block to lower delirium after hip fractures and trying semaglutide during stroke clot-removal—while gut-microbe pills showed early promise for constipation and anorexia, and the FDA announced steps that could make some approvals faster.

Good news: In a randomized trial, older people with hip fractures were less likely to get delirium (sudden confusion) when ER doctors used ultrasound to do a nerve block for pain. That can mean a calmer, safer hospital stay.

Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia by Emergency Physicians for Hip Fractures and Delirium: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Good news: A phase 2 randomized trial found semaglutide (a common weekly shot) looked safe when given around a clot-removal stroke procedure. Some patients had better recovery scores, especially those who did not get clot-busting medicine.

Semaglutide administered before and after endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke: a phase 2 multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Market readiness: 🙂🙂🙂🙂 (semaglutide is already prescribed in the US, but this stroke use is not standard/approved yet and needs bigger trials)

Good news: In a small randomized trial, memantine helped people with opioid-induced hyperalgesia (when opioids can make pain feel worse) tolerate cold pain longer. It also lowered pain after 2 weeks, which is a hopeful sign.

Memantine treatment improves opioid-induced hyperalgesia symptoms: randomize clinical trial

Market readiness: 🙂🙂🙂🙂 (memantine is already on the US market, but using it for this problem would be off-label and still needs larger proof)

Good news: A clinical trial showed resistant starch helped constipation only when this bacterium was present—so future treatments could be more “right fiber for the right person,” and it could lead to new targeted probiotics.

Ruminococcus bromii alleviates constipation by pullulanase-driven resistant starch degradation and microbiota modulation

Market readiness: 🙂🙂🙂 (resistant starch is already available, but targeted “R. bromii”-based probiotic/synbiotic therapy is still early)

Good news: In a small pilot study, young women with anorexia nervosa swallowed capsules containing donor gut microbes (FMT). It was mostly well tolerated, changed the gut microbiome a lot, and early signs hinted it might help anxiety and metabolism—enough to support doing larger, controlled trials. (Published: 2025-12-14.)

Encapsulated faecal microbiota transfer in young women with anorexia nervosa: an open-label feasibility pilot trial

Market readiness: 🙂🙂 (this is an early feasibility study; it’s not an established/approved anorexia treatment yet)

Good news: The FDA says it removed a big barrier that made it hard to use real-world evidence (data from normal care) in some drug/device reviews. This could help get helpful treatments to patients faster.

FDA Eliminates Major Barrier to Using Real-World Evidence in Drug and Device Application Reviews

Market readiness: 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 (this is an FDA policy change that takes effect now; it may speed future reviews)

Good news: The FDA awarded a “national priority voucher” to speed the path for a myeloma treatment combo after strong Phase 3 results. That can shorten review time once an application is submitted.

FDA Proactively Awards National Priority Voucher Based on Strong Phase 3 Study Results

Market readiness: 🙂🙂🙂🙂 (Phase 3 results are in, but patients still need an FDA submission/review before a new labeled use is “official”)

Thank you for taking the time to take care of yourself and your loved ones.