This study is a randomized controlled trial assessing pain control in ankle fractures repaired with open reduction and internal fixation. Patients are consented and enrolled pre-operatively, and randomized to either control or liposomal bupivacaine with bupivacaine administered intra-operatively.
This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial assessing pain control in ankle fractures repaired with open reduction and internal fixation. Patients are consented and enrolled pre-operatively, and randomized to either control or liposomal bupivacaine with bupivacaine administered intra-operatively. Patients are to remain blinded to the treatment arm. The surgeon is non-blinded and administers the bupivacaine solution locally, intra-operatively. Patients pain scores and pain medication usage is documented. A trained research coordinator contacts each patient at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-operatively to assess pain levels on a visual analog scale (VAS) and pain medications taken. Patients return for followup at standard intervals of 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post-operatively to assess healing and functional outcomes. Patients are queried as to satisfaction with pain control at 2 weeks post-operatively. The study will compare outcomes including pain levels, pain medications taken, operating room (OR) and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) times, length of stay (LOS), satisfaction with pain control, clinical outcomes, and complication rates.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
84
Pain medications injected locally during surgery around affected ankle.
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
Jamaica, New York, United States
Pain Levels on a Visual Analog Scale ( VAS)
A Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10 in increments of 1 was used to both qualitatively and quantitatively assess the level and severity of pain during the time points ranging from the immediate post-operative period through 72 hours post-operative. Each number on the scale is accompanied by a visual facial expression that indicates the level of pain, discomfort, and distress appropriate to the number on the scale. The more severe the level of pain, the higher the corresponding number and more distressing the accompanying facial expression. A VAS score of 0 indicates no active pain level and is accompanied by a pleasantly smiling face whereas a VAS score of 10 indicates the most severe active pain level and is accompanied by a visibly-distraught face that is frowning, grimacing, and sweating. The combination of facial expressions and numbers is supposed to provide a language-independent, validated means of assessing pain levels.
Time frame: Immediate post-operative period until 72 hours post-operatively
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