Cardiac Pacing, Permanent Pacemaker Implantation, Postoperative Pain
Conditions
Keywords
PECS II Block, Permanent Pacemaker, Local Infiltration Anesthesia, Perioperative Analgesia, Randomized Controlled Trial
Brief summary
This single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate whether ultrasound-guided PECS II block, when added to standard local infiltration anesthesia, improves perioperative analgesia in patients undergoing elective permanent pacemaker implantation. Seventy-two adult patients scheduled for elective permanent pacemaker implantation will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either ultrasound-guided PECS II block plus standard local infiltration anesthesia or standard local infiltration anesthesia alone. The primary outcome is pain intensity during pacemaker pocket creation measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Secondary outcomes include intraoperative pain scores, additional local anesthetic, opioid and sedative requirements, postoperative pain scores, analgesic consumption during the first 24 hours, patient and operator satisfaction, procedure duration, and procedure-related complications. The study is designed to determine whether PECS II block provides additional analgesic benefit during permanent pacemaker implantation.
Detailed description
Permanent pacemaker implantation is commonly performed under local infiltration anesthesia; however, patients may still experience significant pain during skin incision, pocket creation, and generator placement, frequently requiring supplemental local anesthetics, opioids, or sedatives. Ultrasound-guided PECS II block has recently emerged as a promising regional anesthesia technique for cardiac implantable electronic device procedures by providing sensory blockade of the anterior chest wall. This investigator-initiated, single-center, prospective, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial will compare ultrasound-guided PECS II block combined with standard local infiltration anesthesia with standard local infiltration anesthesia alone in patients undergoing elective permanent pacemaker implantation. A total of 72 adult patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two treatment groups. Patients assigned to the intervention group will receive an ultrasound-guided PECS II block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine before the procedure, followed by standard local infiltration anesthesia. Patients in the control group will receive standard local infiltration anesthesia alone. Rescue analgesia and light sedation will be administered only when clinically required according to a predefined protocol. The primary endpoint is the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS, 0-10) pain score during pacemaker pocket creation. Secondary endpoints include the highest intraoperative pain score, pain scores at different procedural stages and during the first 24 postoperative hours, total intraoperative local anesthetic consumption, additional opioid and sedative requirements, postoperative analgesic consumption, patient and operator satisfaction, procedure duration, block performance time, and procedure-related complications. The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided PECS II block as an adjunct to standard local infiltration anesthesia for improving perioperative pain control and reducing additional analgesic requirements during elective permanent pacemaker implantation
Interventions
Ultrasound-guided PECS II block will be performed before permanent pacemaker implantation using 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine. The local anesthetic will be injected between the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles and between the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior muscles under ultrasound guidance.
Standard local infiltration anesthesia will be administered by the implanting physician using 1% lidocaine at the incision site and pacemaker pocket according to routine clinical practice.
Sponsors
Study design
Masking description
The anesthesiologist performing the PECS II block will not be blinded because of the nature of the intervention. Participants and the implanting physician will be aware of the assigned treatment. However, investigators responsible for postoperative pain assessment, patient satisfaction evaluation, data collection, and statistical analysis will remain blinded to group allocation.
Intervention model description
Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either ultrasound-guided PECS II block plus standard local infiltration anesthesia (intervention group) or standard local infiltration anesthesia alone (control group). Outcomes will be compared between the two parallel groups during and after elective permanent pacemaker implantation.
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18 years or older. * Scheduled for elective permanent pacemaker implantation. * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III. * Ability to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Infection at the planned block site. * Known allergy or hypersensitivity to local anesthetics. * Uncorrected coagulopathy or active bleeding disorder. * Contraindication to PECS II block because of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. * Severe cognitive impairment or inability to use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). * Emergency pacemaker implantation. * Planned generator replacement, lead revision, or device revision procedure. * Anatomical abnormalities preventing safe block performance. * Refusal to participate in the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain intensity during pacemaker pocket creation measured by the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS, 0-10) | During pacemaker pocket creation (intraoperative assessment) | Pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. The primary endpoint is the NRS pain score recorded during pacemaker pocket creation. |
Contacts
Aydın Adnan Menderes University Hospital