Reservoir fill port identification by palpation versus ultrasound,a mono-centre prospective comparison study in patients undergoing regular intrathecal pump refill
Intrathecal drug therapy with implantable intrathecal pumps is being utilized increasingly for the treatment of chronic refractory pain and spasticity. However, performing the regular refill procedures of the pumps with the commonly performed "blind" technique caries the potential risk of medication injection into the subcutaneous tissue, which can lead to an overdose. Objective: The primary purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of the ultrasound-guided technique for the refill procedure compared to the blind technique in subjects undergoing regular refills of their intrathecal pumps for the treatment of chronic non-malignant pain or spasticity. Study design: Mono-center prospective efficacy and reliability study comparing two approaches to enter the fill port. Study population: The investigators will include patients with an intrathecal pump for the treatment of chronic non-malignant pain or spasticity, undergoing regular refills of their intrathecal pumps at our Centro Terapia del Dolore at the Ospedale Italiano a Viganello(EOC, Switzerland). Intervention: Two different experienced clinicians will perform one time the blind technique and two times the ultrasound-guided technique on all patients.sample size calculations can be performed. The sample size i.e. n=25 patients in NSI-TD-001 Protocol v. 1.0 Final: August 4th, 2014 Confidential Page 31 of 40 total assessed 6 six times is therefore based on practical grounds related feasibility to duration of inclusion (i.e. one year). This would imply 50 paired assessments for both fill port accuracy assessment and intra-rater reliability. The investigators believe based on clinical experience that this number would suffice to detect a difference between methods. Likewise, although no formal power calculation are available for ICC based reliability assessment, as a rule of thumb 50 paired assessments are usually considered adequate to evaluate intra-rater liability.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
33
Two different experienced clinicians will perform one time the blind technique andTwo different experienced clinicians will perform one time the blind technique andtwo times the ultrasound-guided technique on all patients.
Centro del Dolore, Neurocentro, Opedale Regionale di Lugano
Lugano, Canton Ticino, Switzerland
The primary endpoint will be the number of attempts to enter the reservoir fill port.
The time to perform refill, and patient comfort associated with both procedures will be registered in order to assess user friendliness of both procedures.
Time frame: 1 YearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients in total
the number of skin puncturs
Time frame: 1 YearYearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients in total
reliability of the US guided procedure
Time frame: 1 YearYearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients
- time to perform refill (usability)
Time frame: 1 YearYearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients
patient discomfort
Time frame: 1 YearYearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients
- determine if BMI has an impact on the accuracy (the number of attempts) of the two techniques
Time frame: 1 YearYearThe sample size i.e. n=25 patients
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