Ultrasound Guided Versus Standard Paravertebral Blockade in Breast Surgery

University College Hospital Galway

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Mastectomy; Regional Anaesthesia; Breast-Conserving Surgery

Treatments: Procedure: Ultrasound guided paravertebral block

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02623387

UHG15

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to compare conventional and ultrasound guided paravertebral blocks to with respect to efficacy, patient satisfaction and complication rates.

Full description

Adequate pain control is important in breast cancer surgery. In addition to benefits to patients, effective pain management strategies also facilitate day case surgery. Regional anaesthetic techniques, and paravertebral blocks in particular, are valuable in this sphere. The conventional method of administering this block is blind and depends on anatomical landmarks for placement. Performing the block under US guidance provides real time imaging while advancing the needle. This might allow for a more accurate placement and hence a more effective block which would enhance pain relief and minimise complications.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients undergoing resectional breast surgery
• Benign or malignant indications for surgery

Exclusion criteria

• Previous spinal surgery
• Severe coagulopathy
• Allergies to local anaesthesia
• Localised infection at site of injection

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Standard Paravertebral Block

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients receiving a conventional paravertebral block of dilute local anaesthetic (eg. 5ml of 0.5% bupivacaine or similar) administered using anatomical landmarks

Treatment:

Procedure: Ultrasound guided paravertebral block

Ultrasound Guided Paravertebral Block

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients receiving paravertebral block of dilute local anaesthetic (eg. 5ml of 0.5% bupivacaine or similar) administered under ultrasound guidance

Treatment:

Procedure: Ultrasound guided paravertebral block