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Trial Comparing Intrathecal Morphine With Placebo In Patients Undergoing Robotic Cardiac Surgery

Randomized, Double Blinded, Trial Comparing Intrathecal Morphine With Placebo in Patients Undergoing Robotic Totally Endoscopic Beating Heart Coronary Revascularization and Intraoperative Extubation

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03241485
Enrollment
79
Registered
2017-08-07
Start date
2018-06-19
Completion date
2020-09-01
Last updated
2021-11-23

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

Conditions

Pain

Brief summary

This is a randomized clinical trial in patients undergoing robotic myocardial revascularization with intraoperative extubation. Patients will be randomized into placebo or intrathecal morphine groups to assess postoperative pain scores and patient satisfaction. Patients will also be assessed for side effects from the intervention.

Detailed description

Following Institutional Review Board approval and informed patient consent, 120 patients scheduled for elective robotic myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass and anticipated intraoperative tracheal extubation will be studied. Patients will be randomized into one of two groups. Group A (placebo, control group) will receive intrathecal normal saline, Group B (morphine group) intrathecal morphine. All procedures will occur and administered medications given immediately prior to induction of general anesthesia in the operating room. Power analysis indicates that 60 patients per Group is appropriate, as further described below. Inclusion criteria include any patient undergoing elective robotic myocardial revascularization without anticipated use of cardiopulmonary bypass and with anticipated intraoperative tracheal extubation. Exclusion criteria include emergency surgery, ejection fraction less than 40%, preoperative use of inotropic agents or intraaortic balloon pump, anticipated use of cardiopulmonary bypass, previous cardiothoracic surgery, anticipated postoperative tracheal intubation, severe pulmonary disease, morbid obesity (BMI \>35 kg/m2), severe renal dysfunction (creatinine \> 1.5) recent history of opioid abuse, preoperative use of opioids, or any contraindication to intrathecal injection (patient refusal, difficult patient anatomy, pre-existing coagulopathy, morphine allergy). Routine preoperative data will be collected (see Preoperative Data Sheet). Following intravenous access and routine mild sedation, each patient will be transported to the operating room and assume the sitting position. Following routine skin preparation, a routine lumbar intrathecal injection will be made via a 22-g spinal needle. The injectate will be either morphine (5 mcg/kg, maximum dose of 1 mg) or normal saline. The injectate will be prepared by a co-Investigator not directly involved in patient care. Thus, all preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative caregivers will be blinded to intrathecal injectate composition (all injectates will be standardized to a total of 1.0 ml). All patients will have port incisions injected with 60 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine by the surgeon after the completion of surgery. Following intrathecal injection, the patient will then assume the supine position. An arterial catheter will be inserted and general endotracheal anesthesia will be induced. Intraoperative anesthetic technique will be standardized and equivalent between Groups (see Intraoperative Anesthetic Protocol Sheet). The anesthetic protocol will allow tracheal extubation to occur in the operating room immediately after surgery (if clinically indicated). Surgical technique will not be altered in any way. All patients in both Groups will be operated on by the same surgeon. Routine intraoperative data will be collected (see Intraoperative Data Sheet). In all patients, tracheal extubation will be attempted in the operating room immediately after surgery (if clinically indicated). Both Groups will receive routine postoperative care and identical postoperative analgesic protocols to assess adequacy of postoperative analgesia (see Postoperative Analgesia Protocol and Postoperative Data Sheets). The American Pain Society Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ) will be administered to patients prior to discharge (see data sheet).15

Interventions

DRUGIntrathecal morphine

5 micrograms/kilogram of intrathecal morphine administered in the spinal space, not to exceed 1mg

DRUGPlacebo

Saline intrathecal given in the same manner as the intervention groups.

Sponsors

University of Chicago
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

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

Masking description

All patients will receive intrathecal intervention and will not know which group they are assigned to. The provider performing the procedure and collecting the data will also be blinded to the intervention assignment.

Intervention model description

The patients will be randomized into 2 groups. The placebo group will receive intrathecal saline. The morphine group will receive intrathecal morphine.

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

• patient undergoing elective robotic myocardial revascularization without anticipated use of cardiopulmonary bypass and with anticipated intraoperative tracheal extubation.

Exclusion criteria

* Emergency surgery * Preoperative use of inotropes/IABP * Preoperative use of opoids * Ejection fraction less than 40% * Anticipated use of cardiopulmonary bypass * Previous cardiothoracic surgery * Anticipated postoperative tracheal intubation * severe pulmonary disease * morbid obesity (BMI \>35 kg/m2) * severe hepatic impairment * severe renal dysfunction (creatinine \> 1.5) * any contraindication to intrathecal injection (patient refusal, difficult patient anatomy, pre-existing coagulopathy, morphine allergy)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative Morphine Consumption24 hours after surgeryWe anticipate that patients in the intervention groups will require less postoperative morphine for pain control.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain ScoreFirst 48 hours after surgeryPatients will score their pain on a visual analog scale of 0-10. The higher the score, the worse the patients reported pain is at that time .
Patient Satisfaction1-3 days after surgery, prior to discharge.Patients will take a satisfaction survey prior to discharge, this is measured by calculating a score on a scale. This survey consist of questions that asks about the subjects post-operative experience with pain. Higher reported scores represent worse post-operative subject experience. These are ranked from a 0-10 scale, where 0 is the best experience and 10 meaning the worst experience. Questions being asked how satisfied they were with the results of the pain treatment while hospitalized, least pain in prior 24 hours, worst pain in prior 24 ours, percent time in severe pain, how much pain interfered with different activities, how much pain caused anxiety, depression, fright, helplessness, how severe were symptoms of nausea, drowsiness, itching, dizziness, and percentage pain relief in prior 24 hours.
Number of Participants With NauseaUntil discharge, 2-3 days after surgeryDaily evaluation of nausea post-operatively throughout the subjects hospital stay.
Number of Participants With Respiratory DepressionDuring hospital stayOpioid related respiratory depression, post-operatively throughout the subjects hospital stay.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Placebo
42 patients were randomized to this group
42
Intrathecal Morphine
37 patients were randomized to this group
37
Total79

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicIntrathecal MorphineTotalPlacebo
Age, Continuous67.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.5
65.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.2
64.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10
ASA Physical Status3 Units on a scale3 Units on a scale3 Units on a scale
BMI27.5 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.2
28 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.3
28.6 kg/m2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 3.6
EuroSCORE II1 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.5
1 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.5
1 Scores on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.5
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
5 Participants14 Participants9 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
32 Participants65 Participants33 Participants
Weight85 KG
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14
86.4 KG
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14.2
87 KG
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 420 / 37
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 420 / 37
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 420 / 37

Outcome results

Primary

Postoperative Morphine Consumption

We anticipate that patients in the intervention groups will require less postoperative morphine for pain control.

Time frame: 24 hours after surgery

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
PlaceboPostoperative Morphine Consumption59 Miligram
MorphinePostoperative Morphine Consumption28 Miligram
Secondary

Number of Participants With Nausea

Daily evaluation of nausea post-operatively throughout the subjects hospital stay.

Time frame: Until discharge, 2-3 days after surgery

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
PlaceboNumber of Participants With Nausea3 Participants
MorphineNumber of Participants With Nausea12 Participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With Respiratory Depression

Opioid related respiratory depression, post-operatively throughout the subjects hospital stay.

Time frame: During hospital stay

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
PlaceboNumber of Participants With Respiratory Depression0 Participants
MorphineNumber of Participants With Respiratory Depression0 Participants
Secondary

Pain Score

Patients will score their pain on a visual analog scale of 0-10. The higher the score, the worse the patients reported pain is at that time .

Time frame: First 48 hours after surgery

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
PlaceboPain Score6 score on a scale
MorphinePain Score1.2 score on a scale
Secondary

Patient Satisfaction

Patients will take a satisfaction survey prior to discharge, this is measured by calculating a score on a scale. This survey consist of questions that asks about the subjects post-operative experience with pain. Higher reported scores represent worse post-operative subject experience. These are ranked from a 0-10 scale, where 0 is the best experience and 10 meaning the worst experience. Questions being asked how satisfied they were with the results of the pain treatment while hospitalized, least pain in prior 24 hours, worst pain in prior 24 ours, percent time in severe pain, how much pain interfered with different activities, how much pain caused anxiety, depression, fright, helplessness, how severe were symptoms of nausea, drowsiness, itching, dizziness, and percentage pain relief in prior 24 hours.

Time frame: 1-3 days after surgery, prior to discharge.

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
PlaceboPatient Satisfaction9 score on a scale
MorphinePatient Satisfaction9.5 score on a scale

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026