An interventional study of Continuous Thoracic Paravertebral Block and Continuous Thoracic Epidural Block in Postoperative Pain, sponsored by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Brazil. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-13.
Sponsored by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 56 studies in Pain, Postoperative with a site in Brazil — 8 open to participants now, 8 under way, 1 of them phase 3. Pain, Postoperative · Brazil.
Among the 56 studies in Pain, Postoperative with a site in Brazil, this one is the 17th largest by planned enrollment of the 53 interventional ones, is one of 4 that started in 2026, is one of 21 with no phase, and was the 55th registered.
5,640 studies on the registry are indexed under Pain, Postoperative; 1,230 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 80 is close to the median of 75 across 4,821 interventional studies indexed under Pain, Postoperative.
Browse Pain, Postoperative studies →8 of the 56 studies in Pain, Postoperative with a site in Brazil are open now, in 1 country. Each count lists the studies.
Of the 679 Pain, Postoperative studies recruiting now, 241 (35%) set no upper age limit and 328 (48%) stop at 75 or younger; 74 take children under 18; 128 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years and older · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →56 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 1999; this study’s year is marked. 4 started in 2026.
Median enrollment 70 across the 53 interventional studies, 800 across the 3 observational. Of the 36 that completed or were terminated, 3 (8%) have results posted.
3 of 56 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre is the lead sponsor of 456 studies on the registry; 61 are open to participants now.
Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre has 1 study filed under Pain, Postoperative — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
4 of the studies in Pain, Postoperative with a site in Brazil that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT07633444Federal University of BahiaTransauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Frequencies for Postoperative Pain | 2026-11-30 |
| NCT07388953Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Minas GeraisPeripheral Autonomic Block (BAP) Plus Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (TAP) for Postoperative Analgesia After Minimally Invasive Left-Sided Colorectal Resection (BAPTAP) | 2026-12-05 |
| NCT07431632University of Sao PauloIntraoperative Cryoanalgesia Versus Thoracic Epidural Block in MIRPE (Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum) | 2027-01 |
| NCT07794267Hospital de BaseRemote Assessment of Pain and Recovery Quality After Surgery Using a Digital Form: A Pilot Study | 2027-09-30 |
Among the 56 studies in Pain, Postoperative with a site in Brazil, from their registry updates:
Nothing recorded among them since 2026-09-25.
This is a randomized, assessor-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial comparing continuous thoracic paravertebral block (BPV) versus continuous thoracic epidural block (BPD) for postoperative pain control in adult patients undergoing elective open thoracotomy with one-lung ventilation. The primary outcome is the mean pain intensity at rest assessed by the Numeric Verbal Scale (NVS 0-10) during the first 48 hours after surgery. A total of 80 participants will be randomized 1:1 at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil. The study aims to determine whether BPV provides non-inferior analgesia compared to BPD, with a potential advantage of less hemodynamic interference and better postoperative mobilization.
This is a randomized, assessor-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial conducted at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, in adult patients undergoing elective open thoracotomy with one-lung ventilation. The objective is to compare the analgesic efficacy of continuous thoracic paravertebral block (BPV) versus continuous thoracic epidural block (BPD) for postoperative pain control during the first 48 hours after surgery.
Patients will be randomly allocated to two groups (40 per group). In the BPV group, the paravertebral catheter is inserted at the end of surgery under direct thoracoscopic vision (without ultrasound), using a bolus of ropivacaine 0.375% (15 mL fractionated) followed by continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% at 0.10 mL/kg/h. In the BPD group, the epidural catheter is inserted at the beginning of surgery using the loss-of-resistance technique with the same bolus and infusion regimen. The target dermatomal level is T5-T7 (or T5-T9).
The primary outcome is the mean pain score at rest measured by the Numeric Verbal Scale (NVS 0-10) at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include pain on movement, total opioid consumption (converted to morphine equivalents), block-related complications (hypotension, urinary retention, technical failure, motor block), clinically significant pulmonary and cardiovascular complications, length of hospital stay, and patient satisfaction with analgesia.
Randomization is centralized using variable block sizes and sealed numbered envelopes. Outcome assessors are blinded to allocation. Both groups receive identical multimodal analgesia and a standardized rescue protocol. The sample size of 80 participants was calculated to demonstrate non-inferiority with a margin of 1 point on the NVS (expected SD = 1.5; 80% power; one-sided α = 0.025).
The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of HCPA (Opinion No. 8.544.882; CAAE 98467026.8.0000.5327) and will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and current Brazilian regulations.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
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.
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.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Child-Pugh class
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants randomized to the continuous thoracic paravertebral block (BPV) group. At the end of surgery and before chest tube placement, a paravertebral catheter is inserted under direct thoracoscopic vision (without ultrasound) using a Tuohy needle. A bolus of ropivacaine 0.375% (15 mL, fractionated) is administered, followed by continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% at 0.10 mL/kg/h. The target level is T5-T7 (or T5-T9). The catheter remains in place for at least 48 hours postoperatively.
Procedure: Continuous Thoracic Paravertebral Block
Participants randomized to the continuous thoracic epidural block (BPD) group. At the beginning of surgery, an epidural catheter is inserted at the thoracic level using the loss-of-resistance technique. A bolus of ropivacaine 0.375% (15 mL, fractionated) is administered, followed by continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% at 0.10 mL/kg/h. The target level is T5-T7 (or T5-T9). The catheter remains in place for at least 48 hours postoperatively.
Procedure: Continuous Thoracic Epidural Block
Participants randomized to the continuous thoracic paravertebral block (BPV) group. At the end of surgery and before chest tube placement, a paravertebral catheter is inserted under direct thoracoscopic vision (without ultrasound) using a Tuohy needle. A bolus of ropivacaine 0.375% (15 mL, fractionated) is administered, followed by continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% at 0.10 mL/kg/h. The target level is T5-T7 (or T5-T9). The catheter remains in place for at least 48 hours postoperatively.
Participants randomized to the continuous thoracic epidural block (BPD) group. At the beginning of surgery, an epidural catheter is inserted at the thoracic level using the loss-of-resistance technique. A bolus of ropivacaine 0.375% (15 mL, fractionated) is administered, followed by continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.125% at 0.10 mL/kg/h. The target level is T5-T7 (or T5-T9). The catheter remains in place for at least 48 hours postoperatively.
Mean pain intensity at rest during the first 48 hours after surgery
Mean of the pain scores at rest measured by the Numeric Verbal Scale (NVS 0-10) at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. This composite measure is the primary endpoint for the non-inferiority comparison between continuous thoracic paravertebral block and continuous thoracic epidural block.
Time frame: 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery
Pain on movement
Pain intensity during movement (e.g., coughing, sitting, or walking) assessed by Numeric Verbal Scale (0-10) at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.
Time frame: 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery
Total opioid consumption in the first 48 hours
Total opioid consumption (converted to intravenous morphine equivalents in mg) from the end of surgery until 48 hours postoperatively.
Time frame: 0 to 48 hours after surgery
Block-related complications
Incidence of complications related to the regional blocks, including hypotension (systolic BP \< 100 mmHg or \>20% drop from baseline), urinary retention requiring catheterization, motor block (modified Bromage scale), and technical failure of the block.
Time frame: During the first 48 hours after surgery
Clinically significant pulmonary and cardiovascular complications
Incidence of clinically significant pulmonary complications (e.g., atelectasis requiring intervention, pneumonia) and cardiovascular complications (e.g., arrhythmias requiring treatment, ischemic events) in the first 72 hours after surgery.
Time frame: Up to 72 hours after surgery
Length of hospital stay
Total number of days from surgery until hospital discharge.
Time frame: From surgery until hospital discharge (assessed up to 30 days)
Patient satisfaction with analgesia
Patient satisfaction with postoperative pain control assessed by a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied to 5 = very satisfied) at 48 hours after surgery.
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers. Only aggregated and de-identified results will be published. All data will be stored securely and confidentially in accordance with institutional policies and Brazilian data protection laws (LGPD).
Start is estimated for Sep 2026; primary completion for Jan 2028, 16 months later.
Of 2,089 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Pain, Postoperative, half reached primary completion within 11 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23. This study's planned 16 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 2,102 studies reached it within 11 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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