ITM + Bupivacaine QLB vs. ITM + Sham Saline QLB for Cesarean Delivery Pain

Phase 3TerminatedNCT03261193

Nicholas Schott21 enrolled

Overview

Comparison of standard post-operative cesarean surgery pain management with regional post-op pain control.

The purpose of this trial is to determine the efficacy of a postoperative analgesia strategy that incorporates quadratus lumborum block (QLB) in conjunction with a multi-modal post-cesarean analgesia strategy. The investigators hypothesize that QLB will provide superior post-cesarean analgesia compared to the current standard of care, multi-modal analgesia. Thus, analgesia following cesarean section using QLB compared to the current standard of care alone will be further investigated. Current practice for cesarean surgical intervention consists of multi-modal analgesia (i.e., Intrathecal morphine (ITM) and scheduled post-operative non-opioid oral analgesics, with oral opioid analgesics reserved for breakthrough pain). Investigators will measure side-effects associated with each strategy: Standard of care methods consisting of intrathecal morphine (ITM) plus scheduled non-opioid analgesics in conjunction with prn opioid analgesics for breakthrough pain will be utilized for both. The experimental treatment arm will entail standard of care in addition to QLB. The sham comparator will entail standard of care in addition to QLB with saline. For each strategy, we will measure and model associated economic ramifications; such factors will include drug costs, procedure costs, and costs associated with length of stay and re-admissions. The quadratus lumborum block (QLB) is similar to the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block, but differs slightly in regards to the anatomical region where local anesthetic is injected. Since the quadratus lumborum (QL) is more posteriorly located, it theoretically confers greater safety due to enhanced visualization. The TAP block has been studied extensively for post-cesarean delivery pain, consistently showing that it is not superior to ITM for post-operative analgesia; however, it may prove to be helpful in patients with breakthrough pain despite the use of ITM, or in patients who were unable to receive ITM (e.g. general anesthesia for cesarean, contraindications to neuraxial morphine). Thus, ITM is superior to TAP alone for post-cesarean analgesia, but it is associated with a dose-dependent increased risk for opioid related side effects. In 2015, Blanco et. al. published a study specifically using the QLB for postoperative pain after cesarean delivery. In this study, they compared a true QLB to a sham QLB all in patients who did not receive ITM, and found that the QLB provided improved pain control and decreased the need for post-operative opioids. Another study in 2016 demonstrated that the QLB is superior to the TAP block in regards to decreasing post-operative pain following c-section. Unfortunately, neither study compared the QLB to ITM (part of the current gold standard for post-cesarean delivery pain, multimodal analgesia). The gap in knowledge regarding the utility of QLB as part of a multimodal analgesic approach including ITM for cesarean section warrants further investigation. Clinicians are constantly searching for methods to provide patients with the most effective medical interventions that provide maximal benefit and minimal harm. Post-operative pain control following cesarean delivery is an area that is important to patients and to providers, and the introduction of the QLB for this purpose has the potential to improve analgesic benefit.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative

Interventions

ITM + Sham QLBDRUG

Sham subcutaneous non-anesthetic infiltration with saline

ITM + Bupivacaine QLBDRUG

QL plane block with local anesthesia

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 45 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Elective cesarean planned under spinal anesthesia * Singleton pregnancy * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification score of 2 (or less) * Gestational age of at least 37 weeks * Intention to breastfeed infant Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindications to neuraxial blockade (such as clinically relevant coagulopathy, recent anticoagulant use, patient refusal, or localized skin infection overlying the site of needle entry) * Anatomical abnormalities contraindicating spinal or QLB placement * Received/Conversion to general anesthesia * Received supplemental parenteral anesthesia (sedation) for any reason (e.g. unanticipated prolonged surgical procedure) * History of chronic pain * History of chronic opioid use/abuse * History of Subutex, methadone, other maintenance therapy

Locations (1)

Magee Women's Hospital of UPMC

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Pain Score With Movement

Post-operative pain accompanied with patient movement will be measured using a 10-point pain scale (VAS). The VAS scale is measured with 0=no pain at all and 10=most severe pain possible.

Time frame: 24 hours after surgical procedure (cesarean delivery)

Secondary Outcomes

Breast Feeding Success/Quality

Limited breastfeeding resulting from pain or opioid side effects

Time frame: 24-hours post-operatively

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Pain Score at Rest

VAS pain score reported by the patient at rest post-operatively using a 10-point pain scale (VAS). The VAS scale is measured with 0=no pain at all and 10=most severe pain possible.

Time frame: 1 hour after intervention

First Request for Pain Medication

Time to first opioid dose (measured in hours)

Time frame: From post-operative until the patient is either withdrawn from the study or requests analgesic medication up until 72 hours

Sedation

Presence or absence will be noted. Will be measured via Ramsay Sedation Score which ranges on a scale of 1 to 6 as follows: 1-patient is anxious, agitated, or restless. 2-patient is co-operative and oriented. 3-patient responds to commands only. 4-patient exhibits brisk response to light stimuli or loud auditory stimuli. 5-patient exhibits sluggish response to light or auditory stimuli. 6-patient exhibits no response.

Time frame: 24-hours post-operative

Pruritis

Presence or absence will be noted via standard pruritus scale (0-3). 0 being no evidence of pruritus, group 1 being pruritus on diseased skin, group 2 being pruritus on non-diseased skin, and group 3 being chronic reactive lesions acquired from skin manipulation, such as rubbing, picking, or scratching

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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