NCT07424638

Interscalene Block Versus Anterior Suprascapular Block for Post-Thoracotomy Shoulder Pain

Interscalene Block Versus Anterior Suprascapular Block for Post-Thoracotomy Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 75 (estimated)
• Sponsor: National Cancer Institute, Egypt · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to compare the frequency of occurrence of ipsilateral shoulder pain in patients undergoing thoracotomy with ultrasound-guided interscalene block, anterior suprascapular block as adjunct to epidural and epidural block only.

Detailed description

Thoracotomy is one type of surgery associated with challenging pain that needs to be promptly addressed to avoid post-operative respiratory complications and aid in effective postoperative physiotherapy and patient recovery. Epidural analgesia is considered the gold standard for the thoracotomy procedure. Ipsilateral shoulder pain (ISP) following thoracotomy has an incidence ranging from 37% to 85%. Being so common, this pain needs more attention and proper anticipation, and management. ISP is usually non-responsive to the effects of epidural and paravertebral blocks.

Conditions

• Interscalene Block
• Anterior Suprascapular Block
• Thoracotomy
• Shoulder Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Interscalene block	Patients will receive an ultrasound-guided interscalene block.
OTHER	Anterior suprascapular block	Patients will receive an ultrasound-guided anterior suprascapular block.
OTHER	Epidural analgesia	Patients will not receive regional blocks apart from epidural analgesia.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-21
• Primary completion: 2026-07-30
• Completion: 2026-07-30
• First posted: 2026-02-20
• Last updated: 2026-02-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt