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The Effect of Subsartorial Saphenous Block on Postoperative Pain Following Major Ankle and Hind Foot Surgery

The Effect of Subsartorial Saphenous Block on Postoperative Pain Following Major Ankle and Hind Foot Surgery

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02697955
Enrollment
18
Registered
2016-03-03
Start date
2016-06-21
Completion date
2017-02-28
Last updated
2017-03-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Arthrosis, Arthritis

Brief summary

The study investigates the effect of a ultrasound-guided subsartorial saphenous block on postoperative pain following major ankle and hind foot surgery.

Detailed description

Major ankle and hind foot surgery causes intense postoperative pain. Implementation of continuous sciatic catheters has been a great success in reducing postoperative pain following these operations, but despite an effective sciatic catheter patients still report moderate to severe pain from the anteromedial side of the ankle. According to cadaver dissection studies the saphenous nerve innervates the anterior and medial parts of the ankle and talonavicular joint, and even though a saphenous block is standard procedure in many departments of anesthesiology worldwide, scientific evidence regarding the effect of the saphenous block on postoperative pain is lacking. This study investigates the effect of a selective, ultrasound-guided subsartorial saphenous block on postoperative pain following major ankle and hind foot surgery.

Interventions

50 mg bupivacaine and 50 μg adrenalin

OTHERPlacebo

9 mg sodium chloride pr. ml (0,9 %)

Sponsors

University of Aarhus
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Elective ankle or hind foot surgery either: (1) total ankle arthroplasty, (2) ankle arthrodesis (3) subtalar arthrodesis or (4) triple arthrodesis * Age ≥ 18 * American Society of Anaesthesiology Classification I-III * Informed consent both orally and in writing after the patient has fully understood the protocol and its limitations.

Exclusion criteria

* Communication problems or dementia * Allergies to any medical product used in the study * Neuropathy of the sciatic or femoral nerve prior to the operation * Morbus Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease * Daily use of opioids * Coagulation disorders * Infection at the site of injection or systemic infection

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Frequency of patients who experience significant pain at rest (change from no significant pain to significant pain)Arrival at the Perioperative Section (within 30 minutes after surgery) and at t = 30 min, t = 45 min, t = 60 min, t = 75 min, t = 90 min, t = 105 min, t = 120. The beginning of the observation period (t0) is the registered time for the end of surgery.Pain scores evaluated using NRS (numeric rating scale). Significant pain is defined as NRS \> 3 from the anterior and/medial side of the ankle joint. In case of significant pain, patients receive a rescue saphenous block with 10 ml bupivacaine-adrenaline.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Sensory testing, infrapatellar branch (nociception is tested using a standardized Neuropen)At the time point when the patients report a change to significant pain during the observation period. In case of no significant pain during the observation period, sensory testing is conducted at t = 120 min.Test of nociceptive response in the cutaneous innervation area of the infrapatellar branch (branch of the saphenous nerve). The test is performed in an area from the medial femoral condyle to the midline between the apex of patella and tibial tuberosity.
Sensory testing, sciatic nerve (nociception is tested using a standardized Neuropen)Sensory test is conducted at arrival at the Perioperative Section (within 30 minutes after surgery)Test of nociceptive response in the sciatic cutaneous innervation area to confirm full sensory block of the sciatic nerve.

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 24, 2026