NCT05653570

Electrical Stimulation for Erector Spinae Plane Catheter Insertion

Electrical Stimulation for Erector Spinae Plane Catheter Insertion: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Stanford University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The erector spinae plane (ESP) block has been studied for analgesia in shoulder surgery as a phrenic nerve-sparing alternative. However, successful ESP catheter placement appears multifactorial, with failure mechanisms including lamination, plane collapse, or catheter overcoiling. Electrical stimulation (ES) is a common technique used in regional anesthesia to detect possible intraneural placement. ES of the erector spinae muscle complex may objectively guide proper interfascial catheter placement and improve local anesthetic spread. The primary goal of this study is to establish if ESP catheter placement with the addition of ES to ultrasound (US) guidance facilitates accurate catheter placement. This study will further characterize postoperative analgesia and the incidence of brachial plexus stimulation for patients who receive ES-assisted ESP catheter placement.

Conditions

• Postoperative Pain, Acute
• Shoulder Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Electrical stimulation	Electrical stimulation will be used to confirm needle and catheter placement within the interfascial plane between the erector spinae muscle and thoracic transverse process.
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Ultrasound	Ultrasound guidance will be used to visualize needle and catheter placement within the interfascial plane between the erector spinae muscle and thoracic transverse process.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-11-01
• Primary completion: 2026-11-01
• Completion: 2026-11-01
• First posted: 2022-12-16
• Last updated: 2025-04-21

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study