NCT03230565

Continuous Infusions vs Scheduled Bolus Infusions

A Prospective Comparison of Pain and Analgesia in Patients With Continuous Peripheral Nerve Block Catheters Using Continuous Infusion or Scheduled Bolus Infusion

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 240 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Stanford University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of the study is to compare continuous infusions and scheduled bolus infusions for peripheral nerve blocks and their effect on post-surgical pain.

Detailed description

Regional anesthetic techniques are an integral part to many anesthetic approaches, providing both intraoperative and postoperative anesthesia and analgesia. Regional anesthesia peripheral nerve blocks have been shown to reduce postoperative pain and improve measures such as opioid requirements and readiness for discharge. By using a catheter technique for continuous peripheral nerve blocks, analgesia can be extended well into post-operative days 2 and 3, further extending these benefits. Historically these catheters have implemented a continuous dosing regimen of local anesthetic, but increasingly there is evidence of improved analgesic outcomes without adverse effects by using a scheduled bolus dosing regimen. Many institutions have implemented this new protocol for catheter dosing. The beneficial effect of scheduled bolus dosing has not been studied in all blocks and all surgical procedures. The study will consist of three independent arms, each designed to evaluate a different nerve block site: interscalene, adductor canal, and infraclavicular. A total of 60 patients will be enrolled in each arm.

Conditions

• Surgical Procedure, Unspecified
• Pain, Postoperative

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Ropivacaine	Patient will be given a continuous infusion of local anesthetic.
DRUG	Ropivacaine	Patient will be given a scheduled intermittent bolus of local anesthetic.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-06-01
• Primary completion: 2026-12-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2017-07-26
• Last updated: 2025-12-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study