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CompletedNCT02669004Updated Feb 28, 2018

Intermittent Epidural Bolus Versus Epidural Infusion for Posterior Spinal Fusion After Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

A Phase 4 interventional study of Intermittent bolus epidural morphine and continuous epidural morphine in Pain, sponsored by Inonu University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 8 Years to 17 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-02-28.

Sponsored by Inonu University · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
47
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
8 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Patient-controlled Intermittent epidural bolus versus epidural infusion for posterior spinal fusion after adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Scoliosis surgery is commonly performed in adolescent due to idiopathic scoliosis. It is reported that the postoperative pain after scoliosis surgery that occurs due to Surgical trauma and severe reflex muscle spasm be severe and excruciating. There are many methods for postoperative pain management. It is used often opioid , paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with patient- controlled intravenous analgesia (IV-PCA). In addition; intrathecal opioids, one catheter epidural with intermittent dosing bolus of morphine or continuous infusion (either opioids or local anaesthetics or both), double epidural catheter with continuous infusion and intravenous ketamine infusion were preferred other postoperative pain management models.

Epidural analgesia is accepted procedure with the efficacy and safety profile for postoperative pain management in major orthopedic surgery including scoliosis surgery. Epidural analgesia techniques commonly have been used in continuous infusion of local anesthetics with or without opioid. It was emphasized that there was not adequate data in the literature to provide argument concerning the use of epidural opioids after spinal surgery. The objective of this study was to compare the effects and side effects patient- controlled intermittent bolus epidural analgesia (PCIEA) and patient- controlled continuous epidural analgesia (PCCEA) with morphine for postoperative pain control in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after posterior spinal fusion.

Methods The study was conducted after obtaining written consent from all patients and guardian, approval from the Inonu University Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee. This prospective randomized controlled double-blinded study was conducted 47 patient between 8-18 years, American Society of Anesthesia Classification (ASA) I-II, with idiopathic scoliosis, scheduled for elective posterior spinal fusion.

Patients with a history of allergy to the drugs used in the study protocol, drug abused , preoperative neurologic deficit, inability to use a visual analogue scale, pulmonary, cardiac and neuropsychiatric disorders were excluded. Exclusion criteria during the study were accidental perforation of dura, faulty epidural catheter placement, postoperative neurologic deficit or uncontrollable nausea, vomiting and pruritus.

The patients who were not premedicated were instructed on the visual analog scale (VAS) and the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device that was implanted during the postoperative period.

Patients were divided into two groups using the envelope drawing method. Patients who received epidural morphine with PCIEA represented Group 1, epidural morphine with PCCEA represented Group 2. The anesthetist who collected data and the patients were blinded.

All operations were performed by the same surgical team. The posterior instrumentation with pedicle screws was applied to thoracic and lumbar spine. Epidural catheter was inserted by surgeon under direct visualization at the midpoint of the incision and advanced 5-6 cm cephalad to thoracic 4-5 before surgical closure. Intubated patients was taken to in the reanimation intensive care unit after operation, IV acetaminophen 15 mg / kg was started before extubation and repeated every 6 hours.

After extubation and a neurological examination, patients in the PCİEA group received morphine 50 µg/kg in 10 mL bolus, lockout time 1 hour, no infusion. In Group 2, PCECA infusion the following initial setting loading morphine 0.02mg/kg in 8mL, was maintained 0.01 mg/kg continuous infusion 4mL, 0.05 mg/kg 2mL bolus dose. 30 minute lock-out interval. 4 hour limit was 4 mg/kg.

Pain score, morphine usage, postoperative nausea and vomiting, pruritus, rate their satisfaction ,sedation scores and motor block were assessed by researchers who were blinded to the study groups at postoperatively 2., 4., 6., 8., 12., 18., ve 24.hour, in all patients.

Read the detailed description

Scoliosis surgery is reported that the postoperative pain after scoliosis surgery that occurs due to Surgical trauma and severe reflex muscle spasm be severe and excruciating. There are many methods for postoperative pain management as opioid , paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with patient- controlled intravenous analgesia (IV-PCA). In addition; intrathecal opioids, one catheter epidural with intermittent dosing bolus of morphine or continuous infusion (either opioids or local anaesthetics or both), double epidural catheter with continuous infusion and intravenous ketamine infusion were preferred other postoperative pain management models.

Epidural analgesia is accepted procedure with the efficacy and safety profile for postoperative pain management in major orthopedic surgery including scoliosis surgery. Epidural analgesia techniques commonly have been used in continuous infusion of local anesthetics with or without opioid. It was emphasized that there was not adequate data in the literature to provide argument concerning the use of epidural opioids after spinal surgery. The objective of this study was to compare the effects and side effects patient- controlled intermittent bolus epidural analgesia (PCIEA) and patient- controlled continuous epidural analgesia (PCCEA) with morphine for postoperative pain control in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis after posterior spinal fusion.

Methods This prospective randomized controlled double-blinded study was conducted 47 patient between 8-18 years, American Society of Anesthesia Classification (ASA) I-II, with idiopathic scoliosis, scheduled for elective posterior spinal fusion.

Patients with a history of allergy to the drugs used in the study protocol, drug abused , preoperative neurologic deficit, inability to use a visual analogue scale, pulmonary, cardiac and neuropsychiatric disorders were excluded. Exclusion criteria during the study were accidental perforation of dura, faulty epidural catheter placement, postoperative neurologic deficit or uncontrollable nausea, vomiting and pruritus.

Patients were divided into two groups using the envelope drawing method. Patients who received epidural morphine with PCIEA represented Group 1, epidural morphine with PCCEA represented Group 2. The anesthetist who collected data and the patients were blinded.

All operations were performed by the same surgical team. The posterior instrumentation with pedicle screws was applied to thoracic and lumbar spine. Epidural catheter was inserted by surgeon under direct visualization at the midpoint of the incision and advanced 5-6 cm cephalad to thoracic 4-5 before surgical closure. Intubated patients was taken to in the reanimation intensive care unit after operation, IV acetaminophen 15 mg / kg was started before extubation and repeated every 6 hours.

After extubation and a neurological examination, patients in the PCİEA group received morphine 50 µg/kg in 10 mL bolus, lockout time 1 hour, no infusion. In Group 2, PCECA infusion the following initial setting loading morphine 0.02mg/kg in 8mL, was maintained 0.01 mg/kg continuous infusion 4mL, 0.05 mg/kg 2mL bolus dose. 30 minute lock-out interval. 4 hour limit was 4 mg/kg.

Pain score, morphine usage, postoperative nausea and vomiting, pruritus, rate their satisfaction ,sedation scores and motor block were assessed by researchers who were blinded to the study groups at postoperatively 2., 4., 6., 8., 12., 18., ve 24.hour, in all patients.

The data were given as median with min and max values Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics software 22.0. the groups were compared using Yates' corrected chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was defined as P\< 0.05

02

Conditions studied

  • Pain

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Keywords

  • Analgesia, Epidural,Pain, Postoperative
03

In context

Scoliosis

594 studies on the registry are indexed under Scoliosis; 139 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 47 is close to the median of 44 across 344 interventional studies indexed under Scoliosis.

Browse Scoliosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Inonu University is the lead sponsor of 375 studies on the registry; 86 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
8 Years to 17 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:Clinical diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis

  • scheduled for elective posterior spinal fusion
  • American Society of Anesthesia Classification (ASA) I-II

Exclusion Criteria:

  • with a history of allergy to the drugs used in the study protocol,
  • drug abused ,
  • preoperative neurologic deficit,
  • inability to use a visual analogue scale, pulmonary,
  • cardiac and neuropsychiatric disorders were excluded.

Exclusion criteria during the study:

  • accidental perforation of dura,
  • faulty epidural catheter placement, postoperative neurologic deficit
  • uncontrollable nausea, vomiting and pruritus.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
47 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Intermittent bolus epidural morphine

    Patients who received epidural morphine with patient- controlled intermittent bolus epidural analgesia (PCIEA) represented Group 1. Epidural catheter was inserted by surgeon under direct visualization at the midpoint of the incision and advanced 5-6 cm cephalad to thoracic 4-5 before surgical closure. Patients received morphine 50 µg/kg in 10 mL bolus, lockout time 1 hour, no infusion.

    Drug: Intermittent bolus epidural morphine

  • Active comparator
    Continuous epidural morphine

    epidural morphine with patient- controlled continuous epidural analgesia (PCCEA) represented Group 2. Infusion the following initial setting loading morphine 0.02mg/kg in 8mL, was maintained 0.01 mg/kg continuous infusion 4mL, 0.05 mg/kg 2mL bolus dose. 30 minute lock-out interval. 4 hour limit was 4 mg/kg.

    Drug: continuous epidural morphine

Interventions

  • DrugIntermittent bolus epidural morphine

    morphine given with patient- controlled intermittent bolus epidural, 50 µg/kg in 10 mL bolus, lockout time 1 hour, no infusion

    Also known as: PCIEA, Group 1.

  • Drugcontinuous epidural morphine

    morphine given with patient- controlled continuous epidural, initial setting loading morphine 0.02mg/kg in 8mL, was maintained 0.01 mg/kg continuous infusion 4mL, 0.05 mg/kg 2mL bolus dose. 30 minute lock-out interval. 4 hour limit was 4 mg/kg.

    Also known as: PCCEA, Group 2.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Scores (at movement and at rest)

    Pain scores were assessed using a visual analog scale (0: No pain, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10: Excruciating pain).

    Time frame: Postoperatively at 24 hours

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Inonu university
    Malatya, 044100, Turkey
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Taenzer AH, Clark C. Efficacy of postoperative epidural analgesia in adolescent scoliosis surgery: a meta-analysis. Paediatr Anaesth. 2010 Feb;20(2):135-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2009.03226.x. PubMed 20091934 ↗
  • Borgeat A, Blumenthal S. Postoperative pain management following scoliosis surgery. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2008 Jun;21(3):313-6. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e3282f82baa. PubMed 18458547 ↗
  • Gauger VT, Voepel-Lewis TD, Burke CN, Kostrzewa AJ, Caird MS, Wagner DS, Farley FA. Epidural analgesia compared with intravenous analgesia after pediatric posterior spinal fusion. J Pediatr Orthop. 2009 Sep;29(6):588-93. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0b013e3181b2ba08. PubMed 19700988 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 28, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02669004
Lead sponsor
Inonu University
Responsible party
Mehmet Ali Erdoğan (MD, Associate professor, Inonu University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 29, 2016
Start date
Jun 2015
Primary completion
Jan 2016
Completion
Jan 2016
Last update
Feb 28, 2018

Study contacts

Mahmut Durmuş, Profoser
study chair · Inonu University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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