CClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06824025Updated Aug 12, 2026

Comparison of Nebulized Neostigmine/Atropine Versus Lignocaine in Treating Acute Post-dural Puncture Headache Following Subarachnoid Block in Parturient Undergoing Elective Cesarean Section. A Randomized, Clinical Trial.

An Early Phase 1 interventional study of lidocaine group ( nebulized lidocaine + saline) total volume 4 ml in Post-Dural Puncture Headache, sponsored by Minia University. Recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-12.

Sponsored by Minia University · Early Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
111
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 35 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a common and debilitating complication of spinal anesthesia in pregnant patients undergoing cesarean sections, with an incidence ranging from 0.5% to 2% (1). The International Headache Society (IHS) defines PDPH as a headache occurring within 4 days of a lumbar puncture, caused by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage through the dural puncture (2). Although the exact cause of PDPH is not fully understood, it is thought to occur due to cerebrospinal fluid loss through dural tears, which leads to tension on pain-sensitive intracranial structures and reflex, uncontrolled cerebral vasodilation leading to severe agonizing tension headache (3). Treatment options include proper hydration, maintaining a supine position, caffeine, paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Many adjuvants have been questioned for their therapeutic effectiveness in enhancing conservative medical treatments, with conflicting results (4). For example, sumatriptan, theophylline and dexmedetomidine have been extensively studied. Neostigmine has emerged as a promising pharmacological adjuvant for conservative management. Neostigmine increases the serum level of acetylcholine via inhibition of cholinesterase (5). This action mediates cerebral vasoconstriction via nicotinic receptors, thus antagonizing the unopposed vasodilatation occurred due to dural tear. Lidocaine, on the other hand, can mediate sphenopalatine ganglion block which is responsible for pain signals transmission from the face (6).

02

Conditions studied

  • Post-Dural Puncture Headache
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • 18-35 years old parturient with post partum headache after elective CS under spinal anesthesia with visual analog score (VAS) ≥ 4 [14] and Lybecker classification score ≥ 2

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy induced hypertension
  • Emergency C.S
  • Asthmatic candidates
  • Previous history of migraine or trigeminal neuralgia
  • History of bronchial asthma
  • Post partum hemorrhage
  • Need for GA , failed spinal anesthesia
  • Patient refusal
04

Study design

Phase
Early Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
111 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Placebo comparator
    Control group

    Nebulization of 4 mL 0.9% saline twice daily for three days plus conventional management (consisted of bed rest in the supine position, good hydration with continuous infusion of 30 mL/kg/day lactated Ringer solution, 1 g paracetamol every 6 h. Diclofenac sodium suppository (100 mg) was given twice daily for 5 days as routine post-operative pain management

    Drug: lidocaine group ( nebulized lidocaine + saline) total volume 4 ml

  • Active comparator
    Neostgmine group

    Nebulization of 20 µ/kg neostigmine and 10 µ/kg atropine diluted in 0.9% sterile saline ( total volume 4 ml) twice daily for three days plus conventional management ( consisted of bed rest in the supine position, good hydration with continuous infusion of 30 mL/kg/day lactated Ringer solution, 1 g paracetamol every 6 h. Diclofenac sodium suppository (100 mg) was given twice daily for 5 days as routine post-operative pain management

    Drug: lidocaine group ( nebulized lidocaine + saline) total volume 4 ml

  • Active comparator
    Lidocaine group

    Nebulization of lidocaine 20% (60 mg) diluted in 4 ml of sterile saline 0.9% twice daily for three days plus conventional management ( consisted of bed rest in the supine position, good hydration with continuous infusion of 30 mL/kg/day lactated Ringer solution, 1 g paracetamol every 6 h. Diclofenac sodium suppository (100 mg) was given twice daily for 5 days as routine post-operative pain management

    Drug: lidocaine group ( nebulized lidocaine + saline) total volume 4 ml

Interventions

  • Druglidocaine group ( nebulized lidocaine + saline) total volume 4 ml

    nebulization of 60 mg lidocaine in 4ml saline 0.9%

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. VAS score

    Acute pain categorization. 10= severe umimaginable pain..... 7- 9= severe pain...4-6= moderate to severe pain ..3- 5= moderate pain .... 1-3= mild pain

    Time frame: pre interventiomnal, 1hour, 3 ,6, 12, 24, 34, 48, 72, 96, 120 hours

Secondary outcomes

  1. Lybecker headache

    Severity of headache . mild, moderate , severe headache

    Time frame: pre interventiomnal,12, 24, 48, 72 hours

  2. number of patients in need for epidural blood patch

    VAS\>3

    Time frame: 5 days

  3. procedure related complication

    Complications related to nebulization ( dry cough, spasm, colics......)

    Time frame: 3 days

  4. neural complications

    persistent neural complications at time of discharge

    Time frame: 7 days

  5. Trans-cranial doppler

    Mean flow velocity

    Time frame: at onset of treatment, 24, 48, 72 hours

  6. transcranial doppler

    resistive index

    Time frame: at enrollment, PREINTERVENTIONAL 24,48, 72 hours

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Minia University
    Minya, 61511, Egypt
    Recruiting
07

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06824025
Lead sponsor
Minia University
Responsible party
Mina Maher (Ass professor anesthesia and pain, Minia University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 13, 2025
Start date
Feb 20, 2025
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 5, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 12, 2026

Oversight

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

Interested in this study?

Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.

No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion