Superior HypogastrIc plExus bLock During Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Surgery (SHIELDS)

May 5, 2026 updated by: Xiangcai Ruan, MD, PhD, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University

Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block for Early Recovery After Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This trial seeks to assess the efficacy of a superior hypogastric plexus block for early quality of recovery after laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

This study is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of superior hypogastric plexus block (SHPB) in improving the quality of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. A total of 170 eligible patients will be enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either SHPB or placebo block. The primary outcome is the 15-item Quality of Recovery (QoR-15) score at 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include visceral pain numerical rating scale (NRS) scores at rest and during movement within 48 hours postoperatively, morphine consumption, time to first flatus, incidence of postoperative ileus, length of hospital stay, and inflammatory cytokine levels (such as interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein). This study aims to elucidate the evidence-based medical position of SHP block within the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) strategy for laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

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

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
170

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.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Guangdong
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510000
        • Recruiting
        • The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yet-set University
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Able to provide informed consent.
  • Undergoing elective laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer.
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA) class I-III.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergy to block medication (s).
  • Coagulation dysfunction.
  • Local or systemic infection.
  • Unable to cooperate with the completion of the study protocol.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

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.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo block
The superior hypogastric plexus block in this group will contain 20 mL of 0.9% normal saline.
Procedure: Superior hypogastric plexus block
After establishing pneumoperitoneum in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, the superior hypogastric plexus block will be performed on all patients. The block will contain 20 mL of 0.75% ropivacaine hydrochloride or 0.9% normal saline. The injection will be performed by tenting the presacral peritoneum, aspirating with a laparoscopic needle-tip syringe to ensure extravascular placement, and injecting the block.
Experimental: Nerve block
The superior hypogastric plexus block in this group will contain 20 mL of 0.75% ropivacaine hydrochloride.
Procedure: Superior hypogastric plexus block
After establishing pneumoperitoneum in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, the superior hypogastric plexus block will be performed on all patients. The block will contain 20 mL of 0.75% ropivacaine hydrochloride or 0.9% normal saline. The injection will be performed by tenting the presacral peritoneum, aspirating with a laparoscopic needle-tip syringe to ensure extravascular placement, and injecting the block.

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
Quality of recovery
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 2
The Quality of recovery (QoR) 15, ranging from 0 (the worst) to 150 (the best), is a patient-reported outcome questionnaire that measures the quality of recovery after surgery.
Up to postoperative day 2

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
Postoperative Pain Scores
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 2
Pain reported according to a visual rating scale from 0 to 100 points (0= no pain and 100= worst imaginable pain), which details their pain level using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores from the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Pain is reported on a scale of 1 to 100, and a higher score indicates greater pain intensity.
Up to postoperative day 2
Postoperative Opioid Use
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 2
Postoperative opioid consumption during said time points
Up to postoperative day 2
Length of stay in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) area
Time Frame: Postoperative day 1
Total time in PACU area
Postoperative day 1
Postoperative nausea and vomiting
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 2
number of participants with nausea or vomiting
Up to postoperative day 2
The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 90
The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is a self-administered questionnaire to assess the severity of pain and the impact of pain on the patient's daily functions. The BPI gives two main scores: a pain severity score and a pain interference score. The pain severity score is calculated from the four items about pain intensity. Each item is rated from 0, no pain, to 10, pain as bad as you can imagine, and contributes with the same weight to the final score, ranging from 0 to 40. The pain interference score corresponds to the item on pain interference. The seven sub-items are rated from 0, does not interfere, to 10, completely interferes, and contributes with the same weight to the final score, ranging from 0 to 70.
Up to postoperative day 90
The McGill Pain Questionnaire
Time Frame: Up to postoperative day 90
The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2) is an expanded and revised version of the original Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), developed to provide a rapid, yet comprehensive, assessment of the multidimensional experience of pain. The main component of the SF-MPQ-2 consists of 22 descriptors rated on a Numeric Rating Scale, ranging from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied).
Up to postoperative day 90
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: Up to 3 months after surgery
The length of patient hospital stay will be supplemented through Hospital Information System after surgery.
Up to 3 months after surgery

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of Adverse events
Time Frame: Intraoperative (During block performance)
Incidence of adverse events related to the plexus block (vascular puncture, hematoma, and local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST))
Intraoperative (During block performance)

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.
Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University

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.
December 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 18, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
February 18, 2027

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).
April 28, 2026

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.
May 5, 2026

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.
May 12, 2026

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 12, 2026

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 5, 2026

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.
December 1, 2025

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.
  • E2025271

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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.

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