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CompletedNCT05772533Updated May 30, 2025

Serratus Anterior Plane Block Versus Pericapsular Nerve Group Block for Shoulder Surgery

An interventional study of Serratus anterior plane block and PENG block in Shoulder Surgery, sponsored by Mansoura University. Completed at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-05-30.

Sponsored by Mansoura University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
50
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Effective analgesia in arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a major concern and is essential for all aspects of the patient's recovery. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of pain relief in patients who will undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgeries receiving either serratus anterior plane block versus PENG block comparing and evaluating the differences between the two techniques.It is hypothesized that PENG block will be comparable to serratus anterior plane block as a promising effective alternative for analgesia for arthroscopic shoulder surgeries with fewer side effects. It is suggested that the PENG block can be safely applied for analgesia.

Read the detailed description

Multimodal pain management is recommended for early postoperative pain control in arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Regional anesthesia is preferred in shoulder surgery as an effective means of providing anesthesia and postoperative analgesia.Commonly used techniques for shoulder surgery include interscalene brachial plexus (ISB) blocks, continuous ISB (CISB) blocks, suprascapular nerve blocks (SSB), supraclavicular nerve blocks (SCB), local infiltration (LI), and ISB with adjuvants. Interscalene brachial plexus (ISB) block is considered the analgesic technique of choice for shoulder surgery.Relevant studies have found that ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block(SAPB) can achieve good anterior lateral chest wall analgesia by injecting local anesthetics into the anterior saw muscle and blocking the lateral cutaneous branch of intercostal nerve which has a significant analgesic effect.The pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block may be safely applied for both partial anesthesia and analgesia in selected shoulder surgery cases. It did not cause motor block or pulmonary complications, nor result in muscle laxity, blocking only the shoulder and the upper third of the humerus. PENG block has been studied extensively in hip surgeries but its place in shoulder surgeries is not yet clear. Therefore, this study will be conducted to compare efficacy of ultrasound guided serratus anterior plane block with PENG block for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgeries.

The aim of this study:

The aim of this study is to assess the quality of pain relief in patients who will undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgeries receiving either serratus anterior plane block versus PENG block comparing and evaluating the differences between the two techniques.

Sample Size Calculation:

Sample size was calculated using Power Analysis and Sample Size software program (PASS) version 11.0.4 for windows (2011) with mean VAS score at 6 h postoperative as the primary outcome. Using the results published by Zhu H, et al 2022 with mean VAS score at 6 h postoperative in serratus group was (1.85 ± 0.59 ) Using a two-sided two-sample unequal-variance t-test., sample size of 44 patients is needed to achieve 90% power to detect 30 % difference in at 6 h postoperative. Using a two-sided hypothesis test with a significance level of 0.05. A10% drop out is considered, so a total of 50 patients will be enrolled (25 in each group) in this study

Methods:

The study will be conducted in Mansoura university hospital on Fifty patients who will be scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery under general anesthesia. They will be randomly assigned to two equal groups (PENG group and SAPB group) according to computer-generated table of random numbers using the permuted block randomization method. The group allocation will be concealed in sequentially numbered, sealed opaque envelopes which will be opened only after obtaining the written informed consent. A written informed consent will be obtained from all study subjects after ensuring confidentiality. The study protocol will be explained to all patients after enrollment into the study along with VAS after enrollment into the study. Basic demographic characters including age, sex, and weight will be recorded. In both groups, The PENG and SAPB procedures will be performed in the preoperative room under strict aseptic conditions using 30 ml 0.25% bupivacaine.

Statistical Methods:

The collected data will be coded, processed, and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program (version 22) for Windows. Normality of numerical data distribution will be tested by Shapiro- Wilk test. Continuous data of normal distribution will be presented as mean ± standard deviation and compared with the unpaired student's t test. Nonnormally distributed data will be presented as median (range) and compared with the Mann-Whitney U test. Repeated measures ANOVA will be used for comparisons within the same group. Categorical data will be presented as number (percentage) and compared with the Chi-square test. All data will be considered statistically significant if P value is ≤ 0.05.

02

Conditions studied

  • Shoulder Surgery

Keywords

  • Pericapsular nerve group block
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Mansoura University is the lead sponsor of 1,077 studies on the registry; 183 are open to participants now.

Of its 9 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) 1 or 2 patients.
  • Scheduled for elective unilateral shoulder arthroscopy.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient's refusal.
  • Altered mental status or un-cooperative patients.
  • History of known sensitivity to the used anesthetics.
  • Bleeding or coagulation diathesis.
  • Infection or redness at the injection site.
  • Significant cardiac dysfunction, hepatic, or renal impairment.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
50 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Group A (SAPB)

    Ultrasound-guided SAPB will be applied while the patient is in the supine position.

    Procedure: Serratus anterior plane block

  • Active comparator
    Group B (PENG block)

    Ultrasound-guided PENG block will be performed under strict aseptic precautions and patient's arm will be placed in external rotation and abducted at 45 degrees

    Procedure: PENG block

Interventions

  • ProcedureSerratus anterior plane block

    The latissimus dorsi muscle between the midaxillary line and the posterior axillary line will be located under ultrasound guidance. The needle will be inserted into the plane from top to bottom until the serratus anterior surface, and the injectate will be slowly administered.

  • ProcedurePENG block

    Ultrasound-guided PENG block will be performed under strict aseptic precautions and patient's arm will be placed in external rotation and abducted at 45 degrees. A linear ultrasound probe will be placed longitudinally between the coracoid and the humeral head. After defining the humeral head, the tendon of the subscapular muscle and the deltoid muscle over it, the needle will be inserted using the "in plane" technique. When the needle will have passed through the deltoid muscle and touched the subscapularis tendon, a bone-like hard tissue will be felt and the needle could not be advanced further. The needle tip will be placed Between the deltoid muscle and subscapularis tendon, and the injectate will be slowly administered.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Visual analogue score (VAS) for pain assessment at 6 hour postoperative

    VAS score from 0 to 10 (0 = no pain and 10 = the worst imaginable pain) will be assessed 6 hour after the procedure.

    Time frame: at 6 hour after the procedure

Secondary outcomes

  1. First analgesic request

    The time of the first analgesic request for fentanyl will be recorded.

    Time frame: Up to 24 hours after the procedure

  2. Total analgesic requirements of fentanyl

    The amount of fentanyl consumption given as a rescue analgesia to patients will be measured all over the 24 hours.

    Time frame: Up to 24 hours after the procedure

  3. Visual analogue score (VAS) for pain assessment

    VAS score from 0 to 10 (0 = no pain and 10 = the worst imaginable pain) will be assessed at 2,4,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24 hour after the procedure.

    Time frame: Up to 24 hours after the procedure

  4. Heart rate (HR)

    HR will be recorded every 30min till the end of the procedure.

    Time frame: During the procedure

  5. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)

    MAP will be recorded every 30min till the end of the procedure.

    Time frame: During the procedure

  6. Adverse effects

    Pneumothorax, respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, hematoma, or allergic reactions will be recorded

    Time frame: Up to 24 hours after the procedure

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Mansoura University
    Mansoura, 35511, Egypt
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Casas Reza P, Dieguez Garcia P, Gestal Vazquez M, Sampayo Rodriguez L, Lopez Alvarez S. Pericapsular nerve group block for hip surgery. Minerva Anestesiol. 2020 Apr;86(4):463-465. doi: 10.23736/S0375-9393.20.14166-X. Epub 2020 Jan 28. No abstract available. PubMed 32000476 ↗
  • van Erp JHJ, Ostendorf M, Lansdaal JR. Shoulder surgery in beach chair position causing perioperative stroke: Four cases and a review of the literature. J Orthop. 2019 May 27;16(6):493-495. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2019.05.009. eCollection 2019 Nov-Dec. PubMed 31680738 ↗
  • Kapukaya F, Ekinci M, Ciftci B, Atalay YO, Golboyu BE, Kuyucu E, Demiraran Y. Erector spinae plane block vs interscalene brachial plexus block for postoperative analgesia management in patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy. BMC Anesthesiol. 2022 May 12;22(1):142. doi: 10.1186/s12871-022-01687-5. PubMed 35550031 ↗
  • Kupeli I, Yazici Kara M. Anesthesia or analgesia? New block for shoulder surgery: pericapsular nerve group block. Braz J Anesthesiol. 2022 Sep-Oct;72(5):669-672. doi: 10.1016/j.bjane.2021.05.009. Epub 2021 Jun 9. PubMed 34118263 ↗
  • Patel MS, Abboud JA, Sethi PM. Perioperative pain management for shoulder surgery: evolving techniques. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2020 Nov;29(11):e416-e433. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2020.04.049. Epub 2020 Jun 9. PubMed 32844751 ↗
  • Sripada R, Bowens C Jr. Regional anesthesia procedures for shoulder and upper arm surgery upper extremity update--2005 to present. Int Anesthesiol Clin. 2012 Winter;50(1):26-46. doi: 10.1097/AIA.0b013e31821a0284. PubMed 22227421 ↗
  • Zhu H, Zhang C, Yan C. The Anesthetic Effect of Ultrasound-Guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block in Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery and Its Effect on Postoperative Analgesia. J Healthc Eng. 2022 Mar 15;2022:8968805. doi: 10.1155/2022/8968805. eCollection 2022. PubMed 35356610 ↗

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 May 30, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05772533
Lead sponsor
Mansoura University
Responsible party
Amany Hazem abdelmaksood EL-deeb (Lecturer of anesthesia, ICU & pain management; Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Mar 16, 2023
Start date
May 21, 2023
Primary completion
Feb 15, 2024
Completion
Mar 10, 2024
Last update
May 30, 2025

Study contacts

EL-Deeb
principal investigator · Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University

Oversight

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

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