The Effectiveness of ThOracic Epidural and Paravertebral Blockade In Reducing Chronic Post- Thoracotomy Pain: 2
Unknown statusNot applicableNCT03677856
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This study has no listed site in Canada in this snapshot. It is included as part of the worldwide chronic pain corpus.
Brief summary (from the registry)
An estimated 7200 thoracotomies (surgical incision into the chest wall) are performed annually in the UK, most commonly to treat lung cancer. It is considered one of the most painful surgical procedures due to tissue, muscle and nerve damage from the incision, and as the wound heals. The normal breathing motion and nerve injury caused during surgery can result in a high risk of persistent pain for months after surgery. Chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP) is defined as pain that recurs or persists at least two months following the surgery and can occur in up to half of these patients. There are two commonly used for pain control during thoracotomy: Thoracic Epidural Block (TEB) blocks nerves on both sides of the chest at the spinal cord. It reduces painful nerve signals but may not abolish them completely. Para Vertebral Blockade is done only on the side of surgery and may completely block painful nerve signals from reaching the spinal cord. This total blockade of nerve signals could decrease the likelihood of developing chronic pain and could be uniquely effective in preventing long-term pain. Over a period of 30 months this trial will be attempting to approach all patients undergoing a thoracotomy at approximately 20 UK hospitals to see if they wish to participate, and to look at the reasons they may not want to participate. We will follow up each participant for a maximum of a year following their surgery. There is a qualitative intervention embedded within this study to support recruitment.
Study details
- Official title
- A Randomised Controlled Trial to Investigate the Effectiveness of ThOracic Epidural and Paravertebral Blockade In Reducing Chronic Post- Thoracotomy Pain: 2
- Conditions
- Anesthesia
- Thoracic Diseases
- Interventions
- Procedure: Paravertebral blockade
- Procedure: Thoracic epidural block
- Sponsor
- University of Birmingham
- Start date
- 2019-01-08
- Primary completion
- 2022-01-08
- Sex
- All
- Age range
- from 18 Years
- Results posted
- No results posted in this snapshot
- Countries
- United Kingdom
- Total sites listed
- 1
Eligibility criteria
Show eligibility criteria (verbatim from the registry)
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged ≥18 years * Elective open thoracotomy * Able to provide written informed consent * Willingness to complete study questionnaires up until 12 months post randomisation Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindication to TEB or PVB e.g. known allergy to local anaesthetics; infection near the proposed puncture site; coagulation disorders, thoracic spine disorders * Surgery for chest wall pathology on the side of surgery * Previous thoracotomy * Median sternotomy within 90 days
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (US National Library of Medicine), snapshot October 2026. Check the registry for current recruiting status. Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03677856