None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
We intend to demonstrate whether the new Sonoplex needle is easier to see under ultrasound scanning than our standard Nanopline needle during routine anaesthetic nerve block procedures. This has already been shown in laboratory studies but not in live patients. We routimely use ultrasound to guide the passage of the nerve block needle and observe the spread of local anaesthetic around the nerve when performing nerve blocks for pain relief. We intend to recruit patients who are having nerve blocks as part of their routine anaesthetic and to randomise them (like flipping a coin) to having each block performed with either the Sonoplex or the Nanoline needle. We will record the ultrasound pictures anonomously for analysis. We will ask the anaesthetist performing the block to score how well they could see the needle tip and we will also assess this on the video data.
Interventions
The 'Sonoplex' nerve block needle. This is a modification of the 'Nanoline' needle, with indentations in the shaft aimed at making it more visible under ultrasound. It has already proven effective in laboratory studies. The nerve block procedures themselves will be performed in accordance with our standard practice. This involves siting an intravenous drip, giving sedation/pain relief, sterile skin preparation and drapes and local anaesthetic injection into the skin. The nerve block needle is th
The 'Sonoplex' nerve block needle. This is a modification of the 'Nanoline' needle, with indentations in the shaft aimed at making it more visible under ultrasound. It has already proven effective in laboratory studies. The nerve block procedures themselves will be performed in accordance with our standard practice. This involves siting an intravenous drip, giving sedation/pain relief, sterile skin preparation and drapes and local anaesthetic injection into the skin. The nerve block needle is then passed through this anaesthetised skin to reach the desired nerve and local anaesthetic is injected around the nerve. The whole procedure is visualised using an ultrasound scanner and lasts less than 5 minutes.
Sponsors
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Patients due to have a femoral and/or a sciatic nerve block as part of their routine anaesthetic management
Exclusion criteria
Unable to give informed consent. Ultrasound imaging not being used to guide nerve block procedure.
Outcome results
None listed