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RecruitingNCT06033456Updated Oct 10, 2023

Combining Stellate Ganglion and T2 and T3 Radiofrequency Ablation on Post-mastectomy Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

An interventional study of Radiofrequency stellate ganglion block using ultrasound guidance (SGB) and Radiofrequency thoracic (T2, T3) paravertebral block under fluoroscopic guidance (TPVB) in Stellate Ganglion, Radiofrequency Ablation and Complex Regional Pain Syndromes, sponsored by National Cancer Institute, Egypt. Recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-10-10.

Sponsored by National Cancer Institute, Egypt · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Mar 2024, 2 years 7 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Started Oct 2023; still recruiting 3 years 1 month later.

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Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
150
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the combination of Ultra Sound (US) guided radiofrequency stellate ganglion block (SGB) and radiofrequency Thoracic Paravertebral block (TPVB) comparing to US-guided SGB or TPVB alone on the post-mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS).

Read the detailed description

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among females, with an incidence of about 2.1 million women each year. It is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) is one of the main surgical treatments for breast cancer. It accounts for 31% of all breast surgery cases. Nearly 40-60% of breast surgery patients experience severe acute postoperative pain, with severe pain persisting for 6-12 months in almost 20-50% of patients (post-mastectomy pain syndrome.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a clinical diagnosis with a highly variable presentation and prognosis. CRPS type I, previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), is not associated with direct nerve injury. CRPS type II, or causalgia, is associated with direct injury of a specific nerve, often from surgical intervention or trauma. Symptoms include severe pain, sensitivity to light touch, burning, sweating, skin discoloration, edema, temperature changes, loss of motor function, and decreased range of motion of the affected limb. The mechanism of CRPS is not fully understood with central and peripheral sensitization involved.

02

Conditions studied

  • Stellate Ganglion
  • Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndromes
  • Mastectomy
03

In context

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes

206 studies on the registry are indexed under Complex Regional Pain Syndromes; 55 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 150 is above the median of 40 across 152 interventional studies indexed under Complex Regional Pain Syndromes.

Browse Complex Regional Pain Syndromes studies →

Lead sponsor

National Cancer Institute, Egypt is the lead sponsor of 133 studies on the registry; 29 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
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

  • Female patients.
  • Type of surgery: Modified Radical Mastectomy MRM.
  • Physical status , III.
  • Duration of more than 6 months and less than 2 years.
  • Moderate and severe pain (visual analog scale [VAS] ≥ 40 mm).
  • Pain described as a to strong opioids (oxycodone) and therapy such as(pregabalin) for which more invasive interventions could be tried.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient refusal.
  • Patient with local and systemic sepsis.
  • Local anatomical distortion.
  • History of contralateral chest disease or pneumonectomy.
  • Known sensitivity or to the drug used in the study.
  • History of psychological disorders.
  • Contraindication to regional anesthesia, e.g., pre-existing peripheral neuropathies and coagulopathy.
  • Severe respiratory or cardiac disorders. Advanced liver or kidney disease.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Physical status and Male patients.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(4)

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.

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.

Relapsed and refractory

Relapsed: the illness came back after treatment had worked. Refractory: it did not respond to treatment, or stopped responding while still on it.

Adjuvant and neoadjuvant

Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

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

  • Experimental
    Radiofrequency stellate ganglion block using ultrasound guidance (SGB)

    Visualization of the C6-C7 level will be targeted under fluoroscopic posterior-anterior (PA) guidance. Skin will be infiltrated with 1% lidocaine using a 25-gauge needle. Next, the RF needle will be inserted under a trajectory approach toward the target. Then, with ultrasound guidance, using a superficial linear ultrasound probe to guide further needle penetration so that the needle-tip will lie anterior to the longus colli muscle, the exclusion of vascular structures will be confirmed by duplex. Then, 5 to 1 mL of omnipaque dye (iohexol) will be injected. Subsequently, a 100 mm length Baily RF electrode will be inserted and connected to the generator. The RF needle will be positioned alongside the stellate ganglion in the thermal RF technique. With repeated sensory and motor stimulation before RF lesioning .

    Procedure: Radiofrequency stellate ganglion block using ultrasound guidance (SGB)

  • Experimental
    Radiofrequency thoracic (T2, T3) paravertebral block under fluoroscopic guidance

    Radiofrequency sympathectomy will be performed with the patient in the prone position. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the T2, T3 vertebral bodies will be identified in an anteroposterior view. For radiofrequency sympathectomy, 10 cm curved, sharp radiofrequency insulated needle with an active tip of 10 mm, needle entry will be performed, and the final placement of the needle tip will be located at the posterior third of the vertebral body in lateral view and just lateral to the body in the anteroposterior view. Once the correct position is confirmed, 0.5 to 1 ml of Omnipaque will be injected, then a 10 cm electrode will be introduced through the RF needle. Before lesioning, a sensory and motor test stimulation is performed to verify the location.

    Procedure: Radiofrequency thoracic (T2, T3) paravertebral block under fluoroscopic guidance (TPVB)

  • Experimental
    Combined radiofrequency of stellate ganglion block plus thoracic T2, T3 paravertebral block

    Combination between radiofrequency of stellate ganglion block and thoracic T2, T3 paravertebral block.

    Procedure: Combined radiofrequency of stellate ganglion block plus thoracic T2, T3 paravertebral block

Interventions

  • ProcedureRadiofrequency stellate ganglion block using ultrasound guidance (SGB)

    Visualization of C6-C7 level will be targeted under fluoroscopic posterior-anterior (PA) guidance. Skin will be infiltrated with 1% lidocaine using a 25-gauge needle. Next, the RF needle will be inserted under a trajectory approach toward the target. Then, with ultrasound guidance, using a superficial linear ultrasound probe to guide further needle penetration so that the needle-tip will lie anterior to the longus colli muscle, the exclusion of vascular structures will be confirmed by duplex(8). Then, 5 to 1 mL of omnipaque dye (iohexol) will be injected. Subsequently, a 100 mm length Baily RF electrode will be inserted and connected to the generator. The RF needle will be positioned alongside the stellate ganglion in the thermal RF technique. With repeated sensory and motor stimulation before RF lesioning

  • ProcedureRadiofrequency thoracic (T2, T3) paravertebral block under fluoroscopic guidance (TPVB)

    Radiofrequency sympathectomy will be performed with the patient in the prone position. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the T2, T3 vertebral bodies will be identified in an anteroposterior view. For radiofrequency sympathectomy, 10 cm curved, sharp radiofrequency insulated needle with an active tip of 10 mm, needle entry will be performed, and the final placement of the needle tip will be located at the posterior third of the vertebral body in lateral view and just lateral to the body in the anteroposterior view. Once the correct position is confirmed, 0.5 to 1 ml of Omnipaque will be injected, then a 10 cm electrode will be introduced through the RF needle. Before lesioning, a sensory and motor test stimulation is performed to verify the location.

  • ProcedureCombined radiofrequency of stellate ganglion block plus thoracic T2, T3 paravertebral block

    Combination between radiofrequency of stellate ganglion block and thoracic T2, T3 paravertebral block.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The degree of pain relief

    Pain relief is assessed by the change in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score at 1st day then 1 and 3 months after intervention. Complete response VAS 0-3. • Partial response VAS 4-6. • No response VAS 7-10.

    Time frame: 3 months after intervention

Secondary outcomes

  1. Patient satisfaction

    Patient satisfaction by patient satisfaction score (0 very satisfied and 10 dissatisfied)

    Time frame: 3 months after intervention

  2. Oxycodone consumption

    The analgesic concomitant medications (oxycodone) consumption will be assessed prior to the block and at 1st day, 1,3 months.

    Time frame: 3 months after intervention

  3. Pregabalin consumption

    The analgesic concomitant medications (pregabalin) consumption will be assessed prior to the block and at 1st day, 1,3 months.

    Time frame: 3 months after intervention

  4. neuropathic pain

    Neuropathic pain will be evaluated according to the Grading System for Neuropathic Pain (GSNP). Positive neuropathic cases are those with GSNP 3 (probable) or GSNP 4 (definite) . The grading system for neuropathic pain (GSNP) is as follows: Grade 1 (unlikely), Grade 2 (possible), Grade 3 (probable), and Grade 4 (definite)

    Time frame: 3 months

  5. Patient's Quality of life

    Patient's Quality of life according to WHOQOL(who measure quality of life)

    Time frame: 3 months

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • National Cancer Institute
    Cairo, 11796, Egypt
    Recruiting
    • Mary S Gerges, MD · ContactMarysabry136@gmail.com · 00201222610774
    • Mahmoud A Kamel, MD · Sub investigator
    • Taher S Thabet, MD · Sub investigator
    • Suzan A Abdel rahman, MD · Sub investigator
    • Hossam Z Ghobrial, MD · Sub investigator
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.

Supporting information: Study protocol

Time frame: after the end of study for one year.

Access criteria: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author.

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Oct 2023 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Mar 2024, 5 months after the start.

Of 64 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Complex Regional Pain Syndromes, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 14 and three quarters within 60. This study's planned 5 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 65 studies reached it within 24 months; a quarter within 14 and three quarters within 60.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 5, 2023
First posted
Sep 13, 2023
StartActual
Oct 7, 2023
Primary completionEst.
Mar 15, 2024
CompletionEst.
Mar 15, 2024
Last update
Oct 10, 2023
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 10, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06033456
Responsible party
Mary Sabry (Assistant lecturer of Anesthesia, ICU and Pain Management, National Cancer Institute, Egypt) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 13, 2023
Start date
Oct 7, 2023
Primary completion
Mar 15, 2024 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 15, 2024 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 10, 2023

Study contacts

Mary S Gerges
Contact
Marysabry136@gmail.com
00201222610774

Oversight

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

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