Nitrous Oxide for External Cephalic Version

October 29, 2019 updated by: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Randomized Controlled Trial of Nitrous Oxide Analgesia in External Cephalic Version (ECV)

This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of nitrous oxide in reducing the anxiety and pain associated with external cephalic version (ECV); a maneuver to turn the fetus from breech to cephalic position.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Study Procedures:

Potential subjects will be identified as they are scheduled to undergo ECV at the UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Subjects will be enrolled in the study by one of the study investigators. Details of the study will be reviewed with potential subjects and those wishing to enroll in the study will be consented for the study by one of the study investigators. Once enrolled participants will be randomized to receive either a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide in 50% oxygen or 100% oxygen, both of which will be delivered via the Nitronox apparatus. Demographic variables will be recorded for each participant at the time they are enrolled in the study

The Nitronox apparatus will be set up to deliver either 50% nitrous oxide in 50% oxygen or 100% oxygen by an anesthesia provider covering labor and delivery who is not involved in the study. The Nitronox device will be covered to prevent participants, study investigators and obstetricians performing the procedure from knowing whether nitrous oxide is being delivered. Nitrous oxide is odorless and colorless, so in that way is indistinguishable from oxygen.

Participants will be prepared for ECV according to current protocols for ECV at UNC. IV access will be obtained and tocolytic agents will be given according to current practice and protocols. Monitoring of maternal and fetal vital signs will be done according to current protocols.

Immediately before an ECV attempt participants will breathe through the facemask of the Nitronox device for 30 seconds and will then be free to use the device ad lib during the ECV attempt. Immediately following each attempt, while fetal monitoring is occurring, the participants will be asked to rate their maximum pain score during the previous attempt. They will also be asked to rate their current level of anxiety. This process will be repeated for any further ECV attempts.

At conclusion of all ECV attempts, while fetal monitoring is occurring, the participants will be asked to rate their current level of pain, their satisfaction with the procedure and about any side effects they experienced (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, other). Participants will continue to be monitored on labor and delivery as current protocol dictates, typically 30 minutes of maternal and fetal monitoring if there are no complications and fetal status is reassuring.

Following the procedure, the obstetrician who performed the procedure will be asked to rate how difficult they felt it was to perform the procedure and to rate how much they felt the analgesic provided assisted in performing the procedure. They will also be asked to indicate whether they thought the patient was in the treatment or placebo arm of the study. This will be recorded to address the adequacy of blinding.

All study variables will be assessed and recorded by one of the study investigators to ensure consistency in data collection.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

48

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • North Carolina
      • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27514
        • University of North Carolina

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female 18 years or greater
  • Scheduled to undergo external cephalic version due to singleton breech presentation
  • Not scheduled to have spinal or epidural anesthesia during the version procedure
  • American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) Physical Status 1, 2 or 3.
  • Able to provide informed consent and adhere to study protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current or historical evidence of any clinically significant disease or condition, especially cardiovascular or neurological conditions that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may increase the risk of exposure to nitrous oxide or complicate the subject's post-procedural course.
  • Significant medical conditions or laboratory results that, in the opinion of the Investigator, indicate an increased vulnerability to study drugs and procedures.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Nitrous Oxide
Patients will receive nitrous oxide during the version procedure.
50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device
Other Names:
  • Laughing gas
Placebo Comparator: Oxygen
Patients will receive placebo (100% oxygen) during the version procedure.
100% oxygen via Nitronox delivery device

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Pain Score Experienced During Version
Time Frame: During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes
Pain scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (with 0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain. If more than one attempt, pain scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.
During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Anxiety Score Experienced During Version
Time Frame: During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes
Anxiety scores will be collected following each version attempt using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all anxious; 10 being extremely anxious), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more anxiety, lower scores indicate less anxiety. If more than one attempt, anxiety scores will be averaged to obtain a single score for the entire procedure.
During each version procedure, a total average of up to approximately 30 minutes
Mean Post-procedure Pain Score
Time Frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt
Pain scores will be collected following completion of the version using an 11 point scale (0 being no pain at all; 10 being worst pain imaginable), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more pain, lower scores indicate less pain.
Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt
Mean Post-procedure Patient Satisfaction Score
Time Frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt
Satisfaction will be assessed following the procedure using an 11 point scale (0 being not at all satisfied; 10 being extremely satisfied), ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate more satisfaction, lower scores indicate less satisfaction.
Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt
Mean Post-procedure Provider Assessed Level of Difficulty Score
Time Frame: Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt
Following the procedure, the obstetric provider performing the procedure will rate the ease of procedure on a 1-10 scale (1 being very easy and 10 being extremely difficult), ranging from 1 to 10. Higher scores indicate more difficulty, lower scores indicate less difficulty. A 10 point scale was used for this outcome, while an 11 point scale was used for the other 4 outcome measures (pain, anxiety, post-procedure pain and satisfaction).
Immediately Post-procedure, within approximately 15 minutes of final version attempt

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kathleen A. Smith, MD, FASA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 30, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 14, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

February 14, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 11, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 11, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

April 19, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 30, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 29, 2019

Last Verified

March 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 16-1569

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified IPD for all primary and secondary outcome measures will be made available.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

9-36 months after publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Approval from an IRB, IEC, or REB and an executed data use/sharing agreement with UNC.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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