The Impact of an Epidural Anesthetic on the Consumption of Sevoflurane in Major Abdominal Surgery

May 23, 2022 updated by: University of Alberta

Major abdominal surgery - like non-laparoscopic bowel resection, liver, gastric, or pancreas surgery - is performed under general anesthesia. Pain control for after the surgery can be achieved purely with intravenous and oral pain medication or in combination with freezing of the nerves. Nerve freezing (nerve block) placed before surgery has the potential to substantially reduce the amount of inhaled anesthetic given to the patient during surgery. This can benefit the patient with being more awake and crisp more quickly after surgery. It can also reduce cost to the system. A further benefit which has received very little attention so far, is that reducing the amount of inhaled anesthetic given also lowers the environmental footprint created by the anesthetic.

The investigators of the proposed study plan to quantify the amount of inhaled anesthetic used for each case and will compare how the consumption is affected by whether the epidural block is applied before or after surgery. Patients will have a nerve block catheter (epidural catheter) placed prior to the induction of general anesthetic by an experienced regional anesthesiologist. The epidural catheter will be bolused with a solution to which the anesthesiologist is blinded which will either be local anesthetic or dextrose (sham). The general anesthetic will be conducted according to a the protocol with the aim of maintaining a standard anesthetic depth monitored by patient state index (PSI). Measurements of the MAC-Value (minimum alveolar concentration) of inhaled anesthetic will be recorded every five minutes and will be noted down by a blinded observer. At the end of the case the anesthesiologist blinded to the solution will inject another solution (now a dextrose (sham) or local anesthetic before the patient is woken up.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Following ethics approval, eligible patients meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria will be consented in pre-assessment unit or day surgery ward at least 2 hours prior to their surgery. Patients will then be randomized into two groups:

Epidural catheter insertion with 14 mL of a solution containing 0.125% bupivacaine and 2 mcg/ml sufentanil injection (Treatment group) Epidural catheter insertion with 14 mL normal saline injection (Sham group) The patient, anesthesia provider, data recorder, OR staff and Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) nurses, will be blinded at the beginning of the case. After randomization, each patient will receive a clear 20 mL syringe containing either the Treatment or the Sham solution. Prior to induction of general anesthesia, an epidural catheter will be inserted by an experienced acute pain physician who has been performing epidural blocks for at least 5 years. Catheter placement will be verified by a single test dose of 60 mg lidocaine to exclude subarachnoid tip location.

Induction of general anesthesia will follow a standardized protocol with the intravenous administration of fentanyl (2 mcg/kg), propofol (2 mg/kg), and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). General anesthesia will initially be maintained with sevoflurane at 1.0 age-adjusted Minimal Alveolar Concentration (MAC). Subsequently, the age-adjusted MAC will be titrated to achieve an intraoperative PSI target of 25-50 (Sedline, Masimo®), and intraoperative heart rate (HR) and mean blood pressure (MBP) target of +/-30% baseline values. The anaesthesiologist will have the ability to administer IV boluses of analgesic (remifentanil 0.5mcg/kg) at if the PSI is <50 and the MBP or HR is above 30% of baseline. Vasopressors such as phenylephrine (100 mcg IV bolus) and ephedrine (5 mg IV bolus) can be used as last-line therapy to treat hypotension that is unresponsive to MAC adjustments. The age-adjusted MAC value will be recorded every 5 minutes starting at the time of skin incision until the time of skin closure. In addition, intraoperative analgesic and vasopressor usage are recorded. The epidural catheter will be run continuously throughout the surgery with 4-6 ml/h with study drug number 1 as per randomization - so either treatment or sham. After the conclusion of MAC recording and prior to emergence from general anesthesia, the anaesthesiologist will be unblinded to the randomized groups, and the patients who received Sham solution will be given 20 mL of the treatment solution via the interscalene catheter to ensure patients receive adequate analgesia postoperatively.

Postoperatively, patients will be transported to PACU where the distribution of the sensory or motor block will then be checked and recorded 30 minutes after arriving in PACU in both groups. The NRS for pain will also be recorded in PACU at 0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • 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

  • Canada
    • Alberta
      • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G2G3
        • University of Alberta Hospital

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

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients undergoing elective reconstructive foot and ankle surgery
  • Patients eligible for popliteal and saphenous nerve block
  • All adults 18 years of age or older
  • Capable to give consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who are unable to give consent
  • Local anaesthetic allergy
  • Hemidiaphragm paresis on the contralateral side to the block/surgery site
  • Bleeding diathesis
  • Coagulopathy
  • Pre-existing neurological deficits
  • Patients with a Body Mass Index >35
  • Patients with significant comorbidities, physiological limitations, and allergies that are unable to tolerate the protocolized induction and maintenance of anesthesia.

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: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: PRE-GA
14 mL injection of a solution containing 0.125% bupivacaine and 2 mcg/ml sufentanil before the start of surgery and 14 ml of 5% dextrose at the end of surgery into the epidural catheter
Drug: Ropivacaine-Sufentanil
Local anesthetic injection
Drug: Dextrose 5
Sham injection
Sham Comparator: POST-GA
14 mL injection of 5% dextrose before the start of surgery and 14 ml of a solution containing 0.125% bupivacaine and 2 mcg/ml sufentanil at the end of surgery into the epidural catheter
Drug: Ropivacaine-Sufentanil
Local anesthetic injection
Drug: Dextrose 5
Sham injection

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Average age-adjusted MAC of sevoflurane
Time Frame: Intraoperative measurement done at the end of anesthetic
The average age-adjusted end- tidal minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) will be calculated by averaging the end tidal MAC required to maintain the depth of anesthesia as measured by PSI between 25-50 intra-operatively. This will be compared between the two groups.
Intraoperative measurement done at the end of anesthetic

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The sedation score in PACU
Time Frame: 1st postoperative hour
Sedation scores will be recorded at 15 minute intervals based on Ramsay sedation scale (1-6) and will be compared between the two groups
1st postoperative hour
Intraoperative vasopressor usage
Time Frame: Intraoperative period
Amount and frequency of the intraoperative usage of vasopressor (phenylephrine in micrograms) will be documented and compared between the two groups
Intraoperative period
Postoperative opioid use in PACU
Time Frame: Up to 24 postoperative hours
Total amount of opioids (in mg of morphine equivalents) in the PACU and over the first 24 postoperative hours will be recorded and compared between the two groups
Up to 24 postoperative hours
Maximum pain scores in the first 24 post-operative hours
Time Frame: Up to 24 postoperative hours
Maximum pain scores will be recorded using numerical rating scale (NRS) of 0-10 (where 0=no pain and 10= maximum pain) on arrival to PACU and at 0,15,30, 45 minutes and at 24 postoperative hours and compared between the two groups
Up to 24 postoperative hours
Intraoperative heart rate
Time Frame: Intraoperative measurement
Intraoperative heart rate (in beats/minute) will be documented at 5 minute interval and compared between the two groups
Intraoperative measurement
Intraoperative opioid use
Time Frame: Intraoperative measurement
Intraoperative use of short acting opioid (in microgram/Kg) as per the study protocol will be recorded and compared between the two groups
Intraoperative measurement
Nausea and vomiting in the first 24 post-operative hours
Time Frame: Up to 24 postoperative hours
Nausea scores (on a Likert scale of 1-4 where 1 = no nausea, 2= mild nausea, 3= moderate nausea and 4= severe nausea) and incidence of vomiting will be recorded on arrival to PACU and at 0,15,30, 45 minutes and at 24 postoperative hours and will be compared between the two groups
Up to 24 postoperative hours
24 hour opioid consumption
Time Frame: Up to 24 postoperative hours
Frequency and total consumption of opioids (in morphine equivalents) over the first 24 postoperative hours will be recorded and compared between the two groups
Up to 24 postoperative hours
Intraoperative mean blood pressure
Time Frame: Intraoperative period
Intraoperative mean blood pressure (in mm Hg) will be documented at 5 minute interval and compared between the two groups
Intraoperative period
Temperature testing ("Cold test")
Time Frame: 1st postoperative hour
Sensory testing of the abdominal dermatomes will be performed in the PACU at 30 minutes of arrival to PACU to document the success of the block
1st postoperative hour

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Alberta

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Vivian HY Ip, MD, University of Alberta
  • Study Chair: Rakesh V Sondekoppam, MD, University of Alberta
  • Study Director: Lora Pencheva, MD, University of Alberta
  • Principal Investigator: Timur JP Özelsel, MD, DESA, University of Alberta

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)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 10, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 15, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 16, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 27, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 23, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Pro00092898

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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.

Clinical Trials on Liver Diseases

Clinical Trials on Ropivacaine-Sufentanil

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings