Thoracic Epidural Failure in a Teaching Health Centre. Differences between waveform-confirmed loss of resistance (EWA-LOR) and conventional loss of resistance (LOR). A retrospective study.

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Observational

Source

TCTR

Registry ID

TCTR20251125002

Enrollment

2000

Registered

2025-11-25

Start date

2025-12-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-08-03

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

Conditions

Patients who received a thoracic epidural either for the operation or pain control Epidural Analgesia Waveform Analysis Loss of Resistance Technique

Interventions

Patients with confirmed EWA-LOR after receiving the thoracic epidural catheter insertion. ,Patients without confirmed EWA-LOR after receiving the thoracic epidural catheter insertion.

Device Feasibility,Device Feasibility

EWA-LOR,LOR

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Adult patients with equal or over 18 years old who received thoracic epidural blocks for surgical or analgesic purposes at the MGH. Epidural insertion performed using either the conventional LOR or EWA-LOR technique.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Incomplete documentation of procedural details or block outcomes More than one epidural catheter in the same patient at the same time More than one regional block in the same patient Fluoroscopically guided epidural block Epidural block in patients with impaired communication (e.g., intubated ICU patients, disoriented)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The rate of failed epidural block in the LOR technique and EWA-LOR in thoracic epidural blocks First block coverage by ice test at any time point Frequencies and percentages	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Pain scores at rest and during movement, and opioid consumption in both groups POD 0, 1, 2 median and interquatile range (IQR),The rate of redo thoracic epidural Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Epidural side effects e.g., hypotension, inadequate pain relief, nerve damage Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Opioid side effects: itchy, nausea, vomiting Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Clinical and procedural risk factors associated with failed epidural blocks, including: wet tap, paresthesia, intravascualar During procedure Frequencies and percentages	—

Measure

Time frame

Pain scores at rest and during movement, and opioid consumption in both groups POD 0, 1, 2 median and interquatile range (IQR),The rate of redo thoracic epidural Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Epidural side effects e.g., hypotension, inadequate pain relief, nerve damage Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Opioid side effects: itchy, nausea, vomiting Any time point Frequencies and percentages,Clinical and procedural risk factors associated with failed epidural blocks, including: wet tap, paresthesia, intravascualar During procedure Frequencies and percentages

—

Countries

Canada

Contacts

Public ContactSamita Pirotesak

McGill University

s.pirotesak@gmail.com0894517222

Outcome results

None listed

Source: TCTR (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Aug 10, 2026