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RecruitingNCT04697498BBESPBUpdated Oct 5, 2023

Bilateral Bi-level Erector Spine Plane Block as a Component of General Anesthesia in Surgical Correction of Spinal Deformations

An interventional study of Bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block and General anaesthesia in Scoliosis, Spinal Deformity and Acute Pain, sponsored by Lviv National Medical University. Recruiting at 1 site in Ukraine. Open to participants aged 12 Years to 90 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-10-05.

Sponsored by Lviv National Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Dec 2025, 11 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Dec 2020; still recruiting 5 years 10 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
150
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
12 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Improving the anesthesiology management for surgical correction of spinal deformations with introducing the diagnostic methods and treatment strategy of acute pain, preventing the evolution of chronic pain. Development and implementation in clinical practice perioperative intensive care protocols for surgical correction of spinal deformities.

Read the detailed description

The study will involve patients for whom are indicated a surgical correction of spinal deformations.

The control group will include patients who will undergo surgery under general anesthesia. The study group will include patients who will undergo surgery under general anesthesia using a bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block.

Stages of the study: preoperative period, onset of anesthesia (induction of anesthesia), maintenance of anesthesia, end of anesthesia, 6th and 12th hours after surgery, 1st, 3rd, 5th day after surgery.

All patients will be given the same preparation for surgery: 5-7 days before the procedure - erythropoietin (50-75 IU / kg) subcutaneously once; iron 100 mg iv daily; thiamine hydrochloride (50 mg), pyridoxine hydrochloride (50 mg), cyanocobalamin (0.5 mg) and ascorbic acid (500 mg) orally, daily. The condition of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems will be assessed by auscultation and percussion of the heart and lungs, the results of electrocardiography, echocardiography, spirometry will by also estimate, vascular Doppler of the lower extremities and neck will by also performed.

Blood tests will be taken before and after surgery (haemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukocytes, colour index, haematocrit, leukocyte formula, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, blood glucose, coagulogram, electrolytes, creatinine, urea, albumin, bilirubin, transaminases, cortisol, testosterone, c-reactive protein).

Patients will be given recommendations on proper nutrition before surgery (solid food is allowed 6 hours before surgery and 150 ml of sweet clear liquid 2 hours before surgery), hospitalization will take place on the day of surgery.

All patients will have two peripheral veins cannulated and a urethral catheter will be installed before surgery. In patients with scoliotic spinal deformity, a central venous catheter will be inserted into the right jugular vein under ultrasound guidance prior to surgery. Antibiotic prophylaxis will be performed two hours before the skin incision. Mechanical bowel preparation and premedication with sedatives will not be performed.

All patients in the operating room will receive paracetamol, dexketoprofen, ondansetron, diphenhydramine, dexamethasone, atropine, tranexamic acid. For induction of anesthesia - propofol, thiopental, fentanyl, atracurium besylate, suxamethonium iodide. After preoxygenation - intubation of the trachea in an improved position and further rotation on the abdomen with specific placement of the patient to prevent compression of the abdominal cavity. In patients with scoliotic spinal deformity in the abdominal position will be used a lung recruitment manoeuvre (gradual increasing in positive end-expiratory pressure and inspiratory pressure with assessment of tidal volume and lung pliability), and subsequent protective ventilation and supporting Driving Pressure 12-14 cm H2O.

The operation will be performed under general inhalation anesthesia with sevoflurane and dexmedetomidine infusion. In patients undergoing neuromonitoring, relaxants will be administered only for tracheal intubation.

Intraoperatively, all patients will be monitored for electrocardiography, respiratory rate, body temperature, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry.

During the operation, an assessment of blood loss and subsequent balanced infusion therapy will be performed. The volume and rate of urination will be assessed. A constant infusion of tranexamic acid will be established. Controlled arterial hypotension with mean blood pressure of at least 60 mm Hg will be maintained. To protect the spinal cord and its roots from ischemic injury during the derotation maneuver, mean blood pressure will be maintained at normal or elevated levels.

Correction of blood loss will be carried out with balanced solutions of crystalloids. Blood transfusion will be started at Hb less than 90 g / l. Patients will be warmed by the Warm Touch heating system. All patients will be extubated in the early postoperative period.

For the purpose of analgesia in the postoperative period, patients of both groups will receive paracetamol and dexketoprofen, thromboprophylaxis will be performed depending on the risk of thromboembolic complications.

In the study group, after intubation of the trachea and rotation on the abdomen before the skin incision will be performed bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block. Before surgery, the level of screw placement will be discussed with the surgeon, and the blockade will be performed at two levels of the spine bilaterally as close as possible to the screw placement site. For blockade a solution for prolonged blockade of peripheral nerve plexuses with bupivacaine 0.375%, dexamethasone 0.02% and epinephrine 0.00018% will be used (Patent №133643 Ukraine 'Solution for prolonged blockade of peripheral nerve plexuses' inventor and owner Barsa Maksym № u201900272, declared 10.01.2019, valid from 10.04.2019, Bulletin № 7).

The total amount of solution administered is 40 ml (10 ml per injection). The erector spine muscle and the transverse process of the spine will be identified using a linear ultrasound probe at the required level of the spine 3cm laterally from the spinous process. Then, using an echogenic needle under ultrasound control in a space between the Erector spine muscle and the transverse process bilaterally on two levels of the spine a local anaesthetic with adjuvants will be injected (Patent №140510 Ukraine 'Method of anaesthesiologic securement for surgical correction of scoliosis spinal deformity' inventor and owner Barsa Marsym № u201911515, claimed 28.11.2019, valid from 25.02.2020, Bulletin № 4).

02

Conditions studied

  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal Deformity
  • Acute Pain
  • Chronic Pain
  • Postoperative Pain
  • Anesthesia
  • Regional Anesthesia Morbidity
  • Anesthesia, Local
  • Anesthesia Complication
  • Hyperalgesia
  • Intraoperative Complications
  • Intraoperative Hypotension
  • Intraoperative Blood Loss
  • Intraoperative Bleeding
  • Intraoperative Neurological Injury
  • Intraoperative Injury
  • Coagulation Disorder
  • Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
  • Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction
  • Neuropathic Pain
  • Nutrient Deficiency
  • Nutrition Disorders
  • Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

Keywords

  • Erector spinae plane block
  • Regional anesthesia
  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal Deformity
  • Multimodal analgesia
03

In context

Scoliosis

660 studies on the registry are indexed under Scoliosis; 186 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 150 is above the median of 45 across 386 interventional studies indexed under Scoliosis.

Browse Scoliosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Lviv National Medical University is the lead sponsor of 7 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
12 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. of the patient or his legal representatives to participate the study.
  2. Spinal deformity that requires surgical correction.
  3. No known allergies to local anaesthetics.
  4. Negative intradermal test for sensitivity to local anaesthetics.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Refusal of the patient or his legal representatives to participate the study
  2. Diabetes mellitus, known allergy to local anaesthetics
  3. Acute spinal cord injury
  4. Physical status according to classification and more
  5. A positive intradermal test for sensitivity to a local anaesthetic.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

ASA physical status

The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
150 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    The Control Group

    The control group will include patients who will undergo surgery under general anesthesia.

    Procedure: General anaesthesia

  • Experimental
    The Study Group

    The study group will include patients who will undergo surgery under general anesthesia using a bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block.

    Procedure: Bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block

Interventions

  • ProcedureBilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block

    After intubation of the trachea and rotation on the abdomen before the skin incision will be performed bilateral bi-level Erector spine plane block. Before surgery, the level of screw placement will be discussed with the surgeon, and the blockade will be performed at two levels of the spine bilaterally as close as possible to the screw placement site. For blockade a solution for prolonged blockade of peripheral nerve plexuses with bupivacaine 0.375%, dexamethasone 0.02% and epinephrine 0.00018% will be used.

  • ProcedureGeneral anaesthesia

    The control group - will include patients who will undergo surgery under general anaesthesia

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in The Numeric Pain Rating Scale

    The 11-point numeric scale ranges from '0' representing one pain extreme - "no pain"; to '10' representing the other pain extreme - "pain as bad as you can imagine" or "worst pain imaginable". Will be measured in rest and in the movement.

    Time frame: On the 1st, 2rd and 3th day after surgery

  2. Duration of hospitalization

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  3. Time of weaning the patient from mechanical ventilation

    Time frame: From a few minutes to an hour

Secondary outcomes

  1. The amount of opioid administered during surgery and in the postoperative period

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Mechanical pain threshold and sensitivity

    A set of 20 calibrated von Frey monofilaments will be used to determine the mechanical pain threshold. We will make pressure by the monofilament on the skin with increasing force from 0.008 grams to 180 grams. The patient will be asked to close his eyes and we will press the monofilament to the skin surface at an angle of 90 ° until the monofilament bends for 1-1.5 seconds. Monofilaments will be used in ascending order. An interval of 10 s will be maintained between studies. Mechanical pain threshold will be defined as the lowest force of pressure that will be perceived by the patient as pain. Determination of the mechanical pain threshold will be performed in two areas - on the palmar surface of the forearm and on the scapular lines.

    Time frame: Baseline, on the 1st, 3rd and 5th day after surgery

  3. Overall satisfaction with analgesia will be assessed on a 5-point Likert scale

    A type of psychometric response scale in which responders specify their level of satisfaction with analgesia in five points: 5 - Excellent, 4 - Good, 3 - More or less good (pretty good), 2 - Bad, 1 - Very bad.

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  4. Level of postoperative sedation will be assessed with Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale

    A medical scale used to measure the agitation or sedation level of a person. (+4) - Combative (Overtly combative or violent; immediate danger to staff); (+3) - Very agitated (Pulls on or removes tubes or catheters or has aggressive behavior toward staff); (+2) - Agitated (Frequent nonpurposeful movement or patient-ventilator dyssynchrony); (+1) - Restless (Anxious or apprehensive but movements not aggressive or vigorous); (0) - Alert and calm (Spontaneously pays attention to caregiver); (-1) - Drowsy (Not fully alert, but has sustained, more than 10 seconds, awakening, with eye contact, to voice); (-2) - Light sedation (Briefly, less than 10 seconds, awakens with eye contact to voice); (-3) - Moderate sedation (Any movement, but no eye contact, to voice); (-4) - Deep sedation (No response to voice, but any movement to physical stimulation); (-5) - Unarousable (No response to voice or physical stimulation)

    Time frame: On the 1st day after surgery

  5. In the group of patients which will undergo general anaesthesia with Erector spine plane block, anaesthetised dermatomes will be counted along the paravertebral, scapular, anterior, middle and posterior axillary, midclavicular and parasternal lines

    It will be measured by response to von Frey hair stimulation

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st day after surgery

  6. Blood glucose level

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st and 5th day after surgery

  7. Blood testosterone level

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st and 5th day after surgery

  8. Blood cortisol level

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st and 5th day after surgery

  9. Blood C-reactive protein level

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st and 5th day after surgery

  10. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

    Time frame: Baseline, 1st and 5th day after surgery

  11. Mean blood pressure

    Time frame: Baseline, during and 1st hour after surgery

  12. Heart rate

    Time frame: Baseline, during and 1st hour after surgery

  13. Nociceptive respond index

    The nociceptive response index was calculated every 15 minutes during surgery, using the nociceptive response index formula, which includes the intra-operative haemodynamic variables HR, SBP and perfusion index

    Time frame: Every 15 minutes during surgery

  14. Blood loss

    By weighing the wipes before and after use, measuring the amount of blood in the suction flask.

    Time frame: Baseline, during and 1st hour after surgery

  15. Urination

    Time frame: Baseline, during and 1st hour after surgery

  16. Infusion therapy

    Time frame: Baseline, during and 1st hour after surgery

  17. Episodes of nausea, belching, vomiting and constipation

    Time frame: Five days after surgery

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Rivne Oblast State Hospital
    Rivne, Rivne Region 33000, Ukraine
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Related links

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 5, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04697498
Lead sponsor
Lviv National Medical University
Responsible party
Maksym Barsa (Principal Investigator, Lviv National Medical University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 6, 2021
Start date
Dec 16, 2020
Primary completion
Dec 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 5, 2023

Study contacts

Maksym Barsa
Contact
maksymbarsa@gmail.com
+380952074098
Maksym Barsa
principal investigator · Rivne Region Hospital

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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