The purpose of this pilot study is to compare the use of deep or standard neuromuscular blockade (NMB) in combination with low or standard insufflation pressure in participants undergoing a surgical procedure, laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Insufflation refers to the injection of carbon dioxide into the abdomen during the laparoscopic surgery, to allow visualization of and access to the surgical field. The primary hypothesis of the study is that the use of sustained deep NMB improves the surgeon's overall satisfaction with surgical conditions as compared to standard NMB. The in-patient surgery is performed on Day 1 and the participant remains hospitalized for at least 48 hours following the surgery (or at least 24 hours following the surgery, if local practice does not allow 48 hours of hospitalization post surgery). On Day 8, a follow-up visit/contact including all participants occurs.
During procedure, surgeon (who was blinded to random assignment) could request that unblinded anesthetist change the randomized treatment conditions (called a "rescue intervention"), if surgeon considered surgical conditions to be unacceptable. This was to be done systematically as follows: If the participant is on standard NMB, the preferred rescue intervention should be to increase the NMB to a depth of 1-2 PTCs; for such a participant the second option (if participant is also on low insufflation pressure) should be the increase of insufflation pressure by 4 mmHg. If the participant is already on deep NMB, the preferred option should be (if participant is also on low insufflation pressure) the increase of insufflation pressure by 4 mmHg.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
127
NMB will be induced by intravenous (IV) administration of a bolus dose of 0.45 mg/kg rocuronium. NMB will be maintained using rocuronium infusion or additional bolus doses as needed for the management of NMB to the targeted depth according to the assigned treatment condition. - Standard NMB - administration of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) titrated to a depth of blockade at a targeted TOF ratio of 10% (range: TOF count 2-3 to TOF ratio of 20%). - Deep NMB - administration of NMBA titrated to a targeted depth of 1-2 Post Tetanic Counts (PTCs) (range: 1-5 PTC).
Insufflation (injection) of carbon dioxide will be used to induce pneumoperitoneum, which is presence of air or gas in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity. * Standard insufflation pressure - a starting pressure of 12 mmHg will be used. * Low insufflation pressure - a starting pressure of 8 mmHg will be used.
NMB will be reversed with IV administration of 2 or 4 mg/kg sugammadex (depending on the depth of NMB) according to the approved label for sugammadex.
Merck Sharp & Dohme GmbH
Haar, Germany
MSD Italia S.r.l.
Rome, Italy
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of Overall Satisfaction With the Surgical Conditions: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep) and Insufflation Pressure (Standard, Low)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (poor, needed intervention) to 10 (excellent): "How satisfied were you overall with the surgical conditions related to anesthesia and pneumoperitoneum during the surgery you just performed?" If at any time the surgeon requests a rescue intervention, the overall assessment of surgical conditions should be rated as 0 (=poor, needed intervention). The surgeon will rate the surgical conditions according to his opinion but if a rescue intervention has been applied, that individual participant will be counted with a score of zero in the analysis.
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of Overall Satisfaction With the Surgical Conditions: By Treatment Arm
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (poor, needed intervention) to 10 (excellent): "How satisfied were you overall with the surgical conditions related to anesthesia and pneumoperitoneum during the surgery you just performed?" If at any time the surgeon requests a rescue intervention, the overall assessment of surgical conditions should be rated as 0 (=poor, needed intervention). The surgeon will rate the surgical conditions according to his opinion but if a rescue intervention has been applied, that individual participant will be counted with a score of zero in the analysis.
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Participant's Overall Average Pain Score in the First 24 Hours After Administration of Sugammadex: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep) and Insufflation Pressure (Standard, Low)
Participants rated pain at 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the administration of sugammadex on day of surgery (Day 1), and daily from Day 3 to Day 8. Pain rating was made using an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Separate ratings were made for overall pain at rest, pain when provoked (e.g., due to participant transition from lying to sitting position) and shoulder pain at rest. The participant's overall average pain score within 24 hours after sugammadex was the average of all pain assessments (including all 3 pain types assessed) at 1, 2, 4 and 24 hours after sugammadex dose.
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after administration of sugammadex on Day 1
Participant's Overall Average Pain Score in the First 24 Hours After Administration of Sugammadex: By Treatment Arm
Participants rated pain at 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the administration of sugammadex on day of surgery (Day 1), and daily from Day 3 to Day 8. Pain rating was made using an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Separate ratings were made for overall pain at rest, pain when provoked (e.g., due to participant transition from lying to sitting position) and shoulder pain at rest. The participant's overall average pain score within 24 hours after sugammadex was the average of all pain assessments (including all 3 pain types assessed) at 1, 2, 4 and 24 hours after sugammadex dose.
Time frame: Up to 24 hours after administration of sugammadex on Day 1
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of Overall Satisfaction With the Visibility of the Surgical Field: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (poor, unacceptable visibility) to 10 (excellent): "How satisfied were you overall with the visual field during the surgery you just performed?" If at any time the surgeon requests a rescue intervention, the surgeon will rate his overall satisfaction with the visibility of the surgical field according to his opinion, but if a rescue intervention has been applied, that individual participant will be counted with a score of zero in the analysis.
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of the Overall Adequacy of Muscle Relaxation During Surgery: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (poor, unacceptable muscle relaxation, required intervention) to 10 (excellent): "How do you rate the overall adequacy of muscle relaxation during the surgery you just performed?"
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of the Overall Adequacy of Insufflation Pressure During Surgery: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (poor, unacceptable insufflation pressure, required intervention) to 10 (excellent): "How do you rate the overall adequacy of insufflation pressure during the surgery you just performed?"
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Number of Times Participant's Movements or Increased Muscle Tone Interfered With the Surgical Conditions During Laparoscopy: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question: "How many times did patient's movements (coughing, bucking, hiccup) or increased muscle tone (resistance, difficulty to close fasciae or skin) interfere with your surgery?"
Time frame: During surgery, approximate duration of 1-2 hours (Day 1)
Score on Surgeon's Assessment of the Effect Participant's Movements During Surgery Had on the Overall Surgical Procedure: By Depth of NMB (Standard, Deep)
At the end of the procedure the surgeon responds to the following question, using an 11-point scale from 0 (extremely disruptive) to 10 (not disruptive): "How did the patient movements described above disrupt your surgical performance?" This refers to participant movements during surgery.
Time frame: End of surgery (Day 1)
Number of Participants With Rescue Actions Performed During Surgery in Order to Improve Insufficient Surgical Conditions: By Treatment Arm
During procedure, surgeon (who was blinded to random assignment) could request that unblinded anesthetist change the randomized treatment conditions (called a "rescue intervention"), if surgeon considered surgical conditions to be unacceptable. This was to be done systematically as follows: If the participant is on standard NMB, the preferred rescue intervention should be to increase the NMB to a depth of 1-2 PTCs; for such a participant the second option (if participant is also on low insufflation pressure) should be the increase of insufflation pressure by 4 mm Hg. If the participant is already on deep NMB, the preferred option should be (if participant is also on low insufflation pressure) the increase of insufflation pressure by 4 mm Hg. The unblinded anesthetist recorded any rescue actions performed. This measure presents the number of participants: with any rescue action performed, with rescue change in depth of NMB, with rescue change in insufflation pressure level.
Time frame: During surgery, approximate duration of 1-2 hours (Day 1)
Participant's Daily Assessment of Overall Pain at Rest During Post Operative Period: By Treatment Arm
Participants rated pain at 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the administration of sugammadex on day of surgery (Day 1), and daily (in the morning) from Day 3 to Day 8. Pain rating was made using an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Separate ratings were made for overall pain at rest, pain when provoked (e.g., due to participant transition from lying to sitting position) and shoulder pain at rest. This measure summarizes the assessment of overall pain at rest for the study days following the surgery.
Time frame: Days 2 to 8
Participant's Daily Assessment of Provoked Pain During Post Operative Period: By Treatment Arm
Participants rated pain at 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the administration of sugammadex on day of surgery (Day 1), and daily (in the morning) from Day 3 to Day 8. Pain rating was made using an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Separate ratings were made for overall pain at rest, pain when provoked (e.g., due to participant transition from lying to sitting position) and shoulder pain at rest. This measure summarizes the assessment of provoked pain for the study days following the surgery.
Time frame: Days 2 to 8
Participant's Daily Assessment of Shoulder Pain During Post Operative Period: By Treatment Arm
Participants rated pain at 1, 2, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the administration of sugammadex on day of surgery (Day 1), and daily (in the morning) from Day 3 to Day 8. Pain rating was made using an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (severe pain). Separate ratings were made for overall pain at rest, pain when provoked (e.g., due to participant transition from lying to sitting position) and shoulder pain at rest. This measure summarizes the assessment of shoulder pain for the study days following the surgery.
Time frame: Days 2 to 8
Number of Participants Using Pain/Analgesic Medication During Post Operative Period: By Treatment Arm
Post operative use of pain/analgesic medication by participant through Day 8 was recorded.
Time frame: Up to Day 8
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