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Percutaneous Rectus Sheath Block Versus Intra-operative Rectus Sheath Block for Pediatric Umbilical Hernia Repair

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Johns Hopkins Medicine

Status

Completed

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative

Treatments

Procedure: Intra-operative rectus sheath block
Procedure: Pre-op percutaneous rectus sheath block
Drug: Ropivacaine

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT02341144
IRB00041103

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study comparing the efficacy of pre-incisional percutaneous rectus sheath block to intra-operative rectus sheath block under direct visualization prior to closure of the incision for providing post-operative analgesia following umbilical hernia repair in children. The current management for reducible umbilical hernias is umbilical hernia repair under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure.

Patients aged 3-18 years old with a diagnosis of umbilical hernia will be screened for study inclusion. Eligible patients and their parents/guardians will be approached and, if agreeable, consented for the study pre-operatively. Patients will be randomized to receive either pre-incisional percutaneous rectus sheath block by the anesthesiologist or intra-operative rectus sheath block under direct visualization prior to closure of the skin incision by the surgeon. The patient, patient guardians, select research team members, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) staff will be blinded to the method of analgesic administration.

Full description

Regional anesthesia has been increasingly utilized for providing post-operative analgesia for a number of surgical procedures in children. Rectus sheath block and local anesthetic infiltration of the surgical site are two common modes for providing post-operative analgesia following umbilical hernia repair. Studies comparing the two modes have shown ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block to improve immediate pain scores and reduce use of post-operative analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing umbilical hernia repair. However, these studies have compared pre-incisional ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block to post-operative local anesthetic infiltration as a subcutaneous and/or intradermal injection.

The purpose of the investigators' study is to compare the efficacy of pre-incisional percutaneous rectus sheath block to intra-operative rectus sheath block under direct visualization prior to closure of the skin for providing post-operative analgesia following umbilical hernia repair in children.

The investigators propose a prospective study where pediatric patients who are undergoing elective umbilical hernia repair will be randomized pre-operatively to receive either pre-incisional, ultrasound guided percutaneous rectus sheath block or intra-operative rectus sheath block under direct visualization prior to closure of the skin. The primary outcome is the post-operative pain rating based on the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS) following umbilical hernia repair. Additional outcomes measured will include: operative times, the use of intravenous/oral opioid and/or non-opioid medication in the post-operative period, duration of analgesia following surgery based on time to first rescue analgesic, intra-operative hemodynamic changes, post-operative hemodynamic changes, incidence of side-effects, and complications. Patients/patient guardians will receive a sheet to document post-operative WBFPRS scores, oral opioid and non-opioid medication administration once discharged to home for a total of 5 days.

Enrollment

61 patients

Sex

All

Ages

3 to 18 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients aged 3-18 years undergoing elective umbilical hernia repair

Exclusion criteria

  • Strangulated or incarcerated umbilical hernia (non-elective)
  • Allergy to bupivacaine/ropivicaine
  • Concurrent surgical procedures
  • Developmental delay or neurologic diagnosis that would interfere with post-operative pain score assessment
  • Chronic pain medication use
  • Chronic pain disorder or complex regional pain syndrome
  • Anesthesiologist classification of III or greater.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Supportive Care

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Triple Blind

61 participants in 2 patient groups

Pre-op percutaneous rectus sheath block
Active Comparator group
Description:
ultrasound-guided, percutaneous rectus sheath block with ropivacaine by a qualified anesthesiologist
Treatment:
Drug: Ropivacaine
Procedure: Pre-op percutaneous rectus sheath block
Intra-operative rectus sheath block
Active Comparator group
Description:
rectus sheath block with ropivacaine under direct visualization by the attending surgeon
Treatment:
Drug: Ropivacaine
Procedure: Intra-operative rectus sheath block

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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