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Continuous Cervical Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Interscalene Nerve Block in Shoulder Arthroscopic Surgery

Continuous Cervical Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Interscalene Nerve Block in Shoulder Arthroscopic Surgery- A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07369271
Enrollment
165
Registered
2026-01-27
Start date
2026-01-15
Completion date
2028-01-31
Last updated
2026-01-27

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

Conditions

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Keywords

Shoulder arthroscopy, postoperative pain, regional anesthesia, interscalene block, erector spinae plane block

Brief summary

Shoulder arthroscopic surgery is associated with moderate to severe postoperative pain, which may hinder early mobilization and functional recovery. Interscalene block (ISB) is commonly used to provide effective analgesia but is frequently associated with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis due to phrenic nerve involvement. Cervical erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been proposed as an alternative regional technique that may provide analgesia while reducing respiratory-related adverse effects. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of cervical ESPB versus continuous ISB in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgery.

Detailed description

This study is a prospective randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate whether continuous cervical erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is non-inferior to continuous interscalene block (ISB) for postoperative pain control in adult patients undergoing elective shoulder arthroscopic surgery. Eligible participants will be allocated to one of three groups: continuous cervical ESPB, continuous ISB, or a prospective observational control group receiving standard institutional analgesia with single-shot ISB. Randomization with allocation concealment will be applied to the two interventional groups. Patients and outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation. All regional anesthesia techniques will be performed as part of a standardized multimodal analgesic protocol. The primary outcome is postoperative pain intensity measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes include pain scores at additional postoperative time points, cumulative opioid consumption expressed as oral morphine equivalents, measures of functional recovery, and the incidence of block-related adverse events. Respiratory-related outcomes, including hemidiaphragmatic paralysis assessed by ultrasound, as well as motor and sensory deficits and postoperative nausea and vomiting, will also be evaluated. Analyses of the randomized intervention groups will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Data from the observational control group will be analyzed descriptively to provide reference information on usual-care outcomes.

Interventions

PROCEDUREContinuous Cervical Erector Spinae Plane Block

An ultrasound-guided cervical erector spinae plane block with catheter placement will be performed. Local anesthetic will be administered through the catheter to provide continuous postoperative analgesia according to institutional protocol as part of a standardized multimodal analgesic regimen.

An ultrasound-guided interscalene block with catheter placement will be performed. Local anesthetic will be administered through the catheter to provide continuous postoperative analgesia according to institutional protocol as part of a standardized multimodal analgesic regimen.

PROCEDURENo intervention

as observational group

Sponsors

National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult patients scheduled for elective shoulder arthroscopic surgery

Exclusion criteria

* Contraindications to regional analgesia * BMI \>40 * ASA physical status IV * history of drug or opioid abuse * preoperative upper limb motor impairment * postoperative ventilator support or ICU admission * Inability to provide self-reported pain assessments

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative pain intensity within postoperative 24 hours2 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours postoperativelyPostoperative pain intensity will be assessed using a 0-10 visual analogue scale (VAS) at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Motor blockade severityUp to 48 hours postoperativelyMotor blockade severity in the operated upper extremity will be assessed using a standardized muscle strength grading scale ranging from 0 to 5, where 0 indicates no muscle contraction and 5 indicates normal muscle strength.
analgesic consumption48 hoursRescue analgesic requirements and cumulative opioid consumption will be recorded and converted to oral morphine equivalent doses.
Adverse events7 daysAdverse events will include postoperative nausea and vomiting, signs or symptoms of local anesthetic systemic toxicity, infection, neurologic symptoms, and catheter-related complications.
Duration of motor blockadeUp to 48 hours postoperativelyThe duration of motor blockade will be defined as the time from completion of surgery to recovery of normal motor function, defined as a muscle strength grade of 5 on the standardized 0-5 muscle strength scale, in the operated upper extremity.
Sensory blockade distributionUp to 48 hours postoperativelyThe anatomical distribution of sensory blockade will be assessed using standardized sensory examination (e.g., response to pinprick or cold sensation) across predefined dermatomal regions of the operated upper extremity.
Duration of sensory blockadeUp to 48 hours postoperativelyThe duration of sensory blockade will be defined as the time from completion of surgery to recovery of normal sensation in the operated upper extremity, as assessed by standardized clinical sensory examination.

Countries

Taiwan

Contacts

CONTACTChung-Ren Dr. Lin, PhD
n104065@mail.hosp.ncku.edu.tw06-2353535
CONTACTYu-Lien Hsieh, MD
hsiehyulien@gmail.com

Outcome results

None listed

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