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Paracervical Block in Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

A Randomized, Multi-center, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial of Paracervical Block Before Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Postoperative Pain Control (PALAPA):

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03792009
Acronym
PALAPA
Enrollment
86
Registered
2019-01-03
Start date
2019-02-21
Completion date
2021-02-01
Last updated
2019-02-25

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

Conditions

Uterine Fibroid, Adenomyosis

Brief summary

It remains controversial whether paracervical block should be performed as a powerful strategy for pain relief in total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), because convincing conclusions are difficult to draw because of the heterogeneous and contradictory nature of the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of paracervical blocks using with 0.5% bupivacaine prior to TLHs for benign gynecologic conditions on postoperative pain relief.

Detailed description

Postoperative pain management is an important component of patient care and satisfaction after surgery. Although contemporary changes such as a shift to minimally invasive approaches and an introduction of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program have resulted in improved outcomes, a large number of patients undergoing surgery have still inadequate pain control. Paracervical block is a single-injection of anesthetic around the cervix at a depth of about 1 cm, diffusing anesthetic into the second to fourth sacral nerve roots passing through Frankenhäuser plexus. Moreover, recent randomized trials demonstrated that patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy and received a paracervical block had lower postoperative pain in the first 3-6 hours compared with placebo. However, it remains controversial whether paracervical block should be performed as a powerful strategy for pain relief in total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), because convincing conclusions are difficult to draw because of the heterogeneous and contradictory nature of the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of paracervical blocks using with 0.5% bupivacaine prior to TLHs for benign gynecologic conditions on postoperative pain relief.

Interventions

The paracervical injection with 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine plus 1:200,000 epinephrine or normal saline was administrated by the second assistant surgeon into the cervicovaginal junction at 3 and 9 o'clock with a depth of 1 cm after intubation but before fixation of uterine manipulator onto the cervix.

The paracervical injection with 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine plus 1:200,000 epinephrine was administrated by the second assistant surgeon into the cervicovaginal junction at 3 and 9 o'clock with a depth of 1 cm after intubation but before fixation of uterine manipulator onto the cervix.

DRUGNormal saline

The paracervical injection with 10 mL of normal saline was administrated by the second assistant surgeon into the cervicovaginal junction at 3 and 9 o'clock with a depth of 1 cm after intubation but before fixation of uterine manipulator onto the cervix.

Sponsors

Kangbuk Samsung Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

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

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* age between 18 and 65 years * American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status (ASAPS) classification I-II * the absence of pregnancy at the time of surgery

Exclusion criteria

* history of cervical surgery such as conization or cerclage * inability to perform the paracervical block due to anatomical abnormalities (i.e., very atrophic or small cervix) * allergy to bupivacaine, planned concomitant surgical procedures involving extensive additional tissue manipulation such as pelvic lymph node dissection * any concomitant surgery of pelvic floor repair (uterosacral ligament suspension or sacrocolpopexy) or vaginal procedures (anterior or posterior colporrhaphy or mid-urethral slings), previously taking opioids for chronic pain * inability to accurately express their pain

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative painat 6-hour after surgeryThe scale was presented as a 10-cm line with verbal descriptors ranging from no pain to worst imaginable pain.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Frequency of pills/injections requestedWithin 24-hour after surgeryNarcotic and non-narcotic use were measured by number of pills/injections requested within 24-hour after surgery.

Countries

South Korea

Contacts

Primary ContactTaejong Song, M.D., Ph.D.
taejong.song@gmail.com+821040358405
Backup ContactSu Yaen Kim, M.D.
suyeon0819.kim@samsung.com+82220012036

Outcome results

None listed

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