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RecruitingNCT07666178Updated Jun 24, 2026

Continuous ESP Block in Patients Undergoing CABG Surgery.

A Phase 3 interventional study of Ropivacaine and Standard Postoperative Analgesics in Erector Spinae Plane Block, sponsored by Instituto do Coracao. Recruiting at 1 site in Brazil. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-24.

Sponsored by Instituto do Coracao · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Dec 2024; still recruiting 1 year 11 months later.
Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
78
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study addresses articles and studies related to the erector spinae plane (ESP) block and its technique, advantages and disadvantages, applicability, among others. It aims to provide more information about this block, which is relatively new, and how it can be explored in the anesthesiologist's routine, mainly inserted in the anesthesia scenario for cardiac surgery with a focus on postoperative analgesia.

Read the detailed description

All patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be submitted to ESP block after anesthetic induction. This will be performed with fentanyl (up to 5 micrograms/Kg), etomidate (2 milligrams/Kg) and cisatracurium at a dose of two DE95. Then the operator will perform the esp block, at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra, being blinded as to the content of the solution, if local anesthetic (25 ml of 0.375% Ropivacaine in each side, respecting the toxic dose) or placebo (25 ml of 0.9% NaCl on each side). There will be randomization as to the inclusion in each group, using software. After puncture and infusion of the initial dose, a catheter (Contiplex C,Bbraun) will be inserted on each side, also under ultrasound guidance and connected to a patient-controlled analgesia pump (PCA), with a corresponding solution of ropivacaine or 0.9% NaCl programmed with a maintenance dose a 4ml / Hr and 06ml bolus with trigger. Anesthetic maintenance with halogenated (sevoflurane), cisatracurium in a continuous infusion pump (CIP) of 1-3 micrograms/Kg/min and if necessary remifentanil 0.1-0.3 microgram/Kg/min.

All patients will be submitted to the institution's standard management: multimodal analgesia with common analgesic (dipyrone 4 to 8 g / day or paracetamol 1500 to 2250 mg / day, tramadol 200 to 400 mg / day) in addition to rescue analgesia if necessary. (morphine 02 mg). PCA withdrawal will be on the fifth postoperative day .

02

Conditions studied

  • Erector Spinae Plane Block

Keywords

  • Spinae erector block
  • esp block
  • Analgesia
  • Continuous analgesia
  • block
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Instituto do Coracao is the lead sponsor of 17 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
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
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

  • Consent to the free and term.
  • Patient undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
  • Preserved left ventricular global function ( > 50%).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Moderate or severe valvular dysfunction.
  • Previous anterior sternotomy.
  • Known allergy to the study drugs.
  • Complications during catheter insertion or block placement.
  • Pre-existing diagnosed chronic pain under treatment.
  • Concomitant use of drugs with a long half-life (induction and anesthetic maintenance doses will be standardized; patients taking medications with a long half-life are excluded to prevent bias in outcome assessment).
  • Concomitant administration of Magnesium Sulfate.
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

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LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)

The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
78 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    ESP Block Ropivacaine PCA group

    Local anesthetic solution group that received the solution with the local anesthetic in the ESP block and also in the patient-controlled analgesia pump. Perform the esp block, at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra, administration of local anesthetic (25 ml of 0.25% ropivacaine in each side, respecting the toxic dose).After puncture and infusion of the initial dose, a catheter will be inserted on each side, also under ultrasound guidance and connected to a patient-controlled analgesia pump (PCA), with a corresponding bupivacaine solution programmed with a maintenance dose of 4ml / Hr and bolus of 06 ml with the trigger firing.

    Drug: Ropivacaine · Drug: Standard Postoperative Analgesics

  • Placebo comparator
    ESP Block placebo PCA group

    Group that will serve as a comparison for blockade with analgesia. That is, this group had received a placebo solution. Perform the esp block, at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra, and the content of the solution will be placebo (25 ml of saline / 0.9% NaCl on each side). After puncture and infusion of the initial dose, a catheter will be inserted on each side, also under ultrasound guidance and connected to a patient-controlled analgesia pump (PCA), with 0.9% NaCl solution programmed with a maintenance dose at 4ml / Hr and 06 ml bolus with trigger.

    Drug: Standard Postoperative Analgesics · Drug: Placebo (0.9% Sodium Chloride)

Interventions

  • Bilateral Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) block performed at the T4 level using 25 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine per side, followed by continuous postoperative patient-controlled regional analgesia (PCA) pump programmed with ropivacaine (maintenance rate of 4 mL/h, demand bolus of 6 mL).

  • DrugStandard Postoperative Analgesics

    Systemic multimodal analgesic regimen based on institutional protocols, consisting of scheduled and rescue oral and intravenous (IV) analgesics (such as dipyrone, NSAIDs, or opioids) as part of usual postoperative care.

  • DrugPlacebo (0.9% Sodium Chloride)

    Inactive saline solution (25 mL of 0.9% NaCl per side) administered during a sham bilateral ESP block at the T4 level, followed by a continuous postoperative PCA pump infusion of 0.9% NaCl (maintenance rate of 4 mL/h, demand bolus of 6 mL) to serve as a comparator.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Total morphine consumption

    Total cumulative consumption of morphine (measured in milligrams) recorded in the electronic medical record. All routes of administration (intravenous, patient-controlled analgesia pump, or oral) will be converted to intravenous morphine equivalents

    Time frame: From surgery completion up to postoperative day 5

Secondary outcomes

  1. Chronic pain scores at 30 days

    Assessment of chronic pain using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) scale.

    Time frame: 30 days after intervention.

  2. Chronic pain scores at 180 days

    Assessment of chronic pain using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) scale.

    Time frame: 180 days after intervention.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • InCor
    São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 24, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07666178
Lead sponsor
Instituto do Coracao
Responsible party
Filomena R B G Galas (Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at University São Paulo Medical School, Instituto do Coracao) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 24, 2026
Start date
Dec 12, 2024
Primary completion
Dec 12, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 12, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 24, 2026

Study contacts

JOAO ALBERTO PASTOR de OLIVEIRA, MD
Contact
joaoalbertopastor@yahoo.com.br
+5511991700431

Oversight

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

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Studies of the drug tested here: Ropivacaine

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