Skip to content

Nitrous Oxide for External Cephalic Version

Randomized Controlled Trial of Nitrous Oxide Analgesia in External Cephalic Version (ECV)

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03502915
Enrollment
48
Registered
2018-04-19
Start date
2017-01-30
Completion date
2019-02-14
Last updated
2019-10-30

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

Conditions

External Cephalic Version

Keywords

breech presentation, nitrous oxide, analgesia, pregnancy

Brief summary

This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of nitrous oxide in reducing the anxiety and pain associated with external cephalic version (ECV); a maneuver to turn the fetus from breech to cephalic position.

Detailed description

Study Procedures: Potential subjects will be identified as they are scheduled to undergo ECV at the UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Subjects will be enrolled in the study by one of the study investigators. Details of the study will be reviewed with potential subjects and those wishing to enroll in the study will be consented for the study by one of the study investigators. Once enrolled participants will be randomized to receive either a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide in 50% oxygen or 100% oxygen, both of which will be delivered via the Nitronox apparatus. Demographic variables will be recorded for each participant at the time they are enrolled in the study The Nitronox apparatus will be set up to deliver either 50% nitrous oxide in 50% oxygen or 100% oxygen by an anesthesia provider covering labor and delivery who is not involved in the study. The Nitronox device will be covered to prevent participants, study investigators and obstetricians performing the procedure from knowing whether nitrous oxide is being delivered. Nitrous oxide is odorless and colorless, so in that way is indistinguishable from oxygen. Participants will be prepared for ECV according to current protocols for ECV at UNC. IV access will be obtained and tocolytic agents will be given according to current practice and protocols. Monitoring of maternal and fetal vital signs will be done according to current protocols. Immediately before an ECV attempt participants will breathe through the facemask of the Nitronox device for 30 seconds and will then be free to use the device ad lib during the ECV attempt. Immediately following each attempt, while fetal monitoring is occurring, the participants will be asked to rate their maximum pain score during the previous attempt. They will also be asked to rate their current level of anxiety. This process will be repeated for any further ECV attempts. At conclusion of all ECV attempts, while fetal monitoring is occurring, the participants will be asked to rate their current level of pain, their satisfaction with the procedure and about any side effects they experienced (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, other). Participants will continue to be monitored on labor and delivery as current protocol dictates, typically 30 minutes of maternal and fetal monitoring if there are no complications and fetal status is reassuring. Following the procedure, the obstetrician who performed the procedure will be asked to rate how difficult they felt it was to perform the procedure and to rate how much they felt the analgesic provided assisted in performing the procedure. They will also be asked to indicate whether they thought the patient was in the treatment or placebo arm of the study. This will be recorded to address the adequacy of blinding. All study variables will be assessed and recorded by one of the study investigators to ensure consistency in data collection.

Interventions

DRUGNitrous Oxide

50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device

OTHERPlacebo

100% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device

Sponsors

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

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

Masking description

The Nitronox device will be covered. The person setting up the device with either 100% oxygen or 50% nitrous/50% oxygen, will not be participating in the study. The patient, investigator and labor and delivery personnel (obstetrician and nursing staff) will be blinded as to the medication being administered during the procedure.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Female 18 years or greater * Scheduled to undergo external cephalic version due to singleton breech presentation * Not scheduled to have spinal or epidural anesthesia during the version procedure * American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) Physical Status 1, 2 or 3. * Able to provide informed consent and adhere to study protocol

Exclusion criteria

* Current or historical evidence of any clinically significant disease or condition, especially cardiovascular or neurological conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may increase the risk of exposure to nitrous oxide or complicate the subject's post-procedural course. * Significant medical conditions or laboratory results that, in the opinion of the Investigator, indicate an increased vulnerability to study drugs and procedures.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean Pain Score Experienced During VersionDuring each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutesPain scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (with 0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain. If more than one attempt, pain scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Mean Anxiety Score Experienced During VersionDuring each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutesAnxiety scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all anxious; 10 being extremely anxious), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more anxiety, lower scores indicate less anxiety. If more than one attempt, anxiety scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.
Mean Post-procedure Pain ScoreImmediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attemptPain scores will be collected following completion of the version using an 11 point scale (0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain.
Mean Post-procedure Patient Satisfaction ScoreImmediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attemptSatisfaction will be assessed following the procedure using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all satisfied; 10 being extremely satisfied), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more satisfaction, lower scores indicate less satisfaction.
Mean Post-procedure Provider Assessed Level of Difficulty ScoreImmediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attemptFollowing the procedure, the obstetric provider performing the procedure will rate the ease of procedure on a 1-10 scale (1 being very easy and 10 being extremely difficult), ranging from 1 to 10. Higher scores indicate more difficulty, lower scores indicate less difficulty. A 10 point scale was used for this outcome, while an 11 point scale was used for the other 4 outcome measures (pain, anxiety, post-procedure pain and satisfaction).

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Nitrous Oxide
Patients will receive nitrous oxide during the version procedure. Nitrous Oxide: 50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device
24
Oxygen
Patients will receive placebo (100% oxygen) during the version procedure. Placebo: 100% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device
24
Total48

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicOxygenTotalNitrous Oxide
Age, Continuous31.8 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.3
32.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.5
32.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.7
Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI)11.1 centimeters (cm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.2
11.6 centimeters (cm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.3
12.3 centimeters (cm)
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.5
Baby Weight3242.4 Grams
STANDARD_DEVIATION 416.6
3433.1 Grams
STANDARD_DEVIATION 491
3631.8 Grams
STANDARD_DEVIATION 491.2
BMI31 Kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.3
30.2 Kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.7
29.3 Kg/m^2
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.1
Gestational Age37.2 Weeks
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4
37.1 Weeks
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4
37.1 Weeks
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Asian
2 Participants5 Participants3 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black/African American
3 Participants5 Participants2 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Hispanic
2 Participants4 Participants2 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Other
0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
17 Participants33 Participants16 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
24 Participants48 Participants24 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
24 Participants48 Participants24 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 240 / 24
other
Total, other adverse events
5 / 243 / 24
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 240 / 24

Outcome results

Primary

Mean Pain Score Experienced During Version

Pain scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (with 0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain. If more than one attempt, pain scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.

Time frame: During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nitrous OxideMean Pain Score Experienced During Version5.486 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.307
OxygenMean Pain Score Experienced During Version5.433 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.695
p-value: 0.94395% CI: [-1.402, 1.507]t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Mean Anxiety Score Experienced During Version

Anxiety scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all anxious; 10 being extremely anxious), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more anxiety, lower scores indicate less anxiety. If more than one attempt, anxiety scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.

Time frame: During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nitrous OxideMean Anxiety Score Experienced During Version4.696 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.969
OxygenMean Anxiety Score Experienced During Version4.253 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.762
p-value: 0.59795% CI: [-1.229, 2.114]t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Mean Post-procedure Pain Score

Pain scores will be collected following completion of the version using an 11 point scale (0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain.

Time frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nitrous OxideMean Post-procedure Pain Score1 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.155
OxygenMean Post-procedure Pain Score0.88 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 1.394
p-value: 0.74895% CI: [-0.629, 0.869]t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Mean Post-procedure Patient Satisfaction Score

Satisfaction will be assessed following the procedure using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all satisfied; 10 being extremely satisfied), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more satisfaction, lower scores indicate less satisfaction.

Time frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nitrous OxideMean Post-procedure Patient Satisfaction Score4.286 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 4.027
OxygenMean Post-procedure Patient Satisfaction Score6.920 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 3.593
p-value: 0.02595% CI: [-4.927, -0.341]t-test, 2 sided
Secondary

Mean Post-procedure Provider Assessed Level of Difficulty Score

Following the procedure, the obstetric provider performing the procedure will rate the ease of procedure on a 1-10 scale (1 being very easy and 10 being extremely difficult), ranging from 1 to 10. Higher scores indicate more difficulty, lower scores indicate less difficulty. A 10 point scale was used for this outcome, while an 11 point scale was used for the other 4 outcome measures (pain, anxiety, post-procedure pain and satisfaction).

Time frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Nitrous OxideMean Post-procedure Provider Assessed Level of Difficulty Score6.136 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.21
OxygenMean Post-procedure Provider Assessed Level of Difficulty Score6.080 score on a scaleStandard Deviation 3.187
p-value: 0.94495% CI: [-1.543, 1.655]t-test, 2 sided

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