Sedation Methods in Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage: Procedure Quality and Recovery

June 8, 2026 updated by: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Evaluation of Sedation Methods Used in Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage Procedures in Terms of Procedure Quality, Recovery Time, and Side Effects

This prospective, randomized, single-center study aims to evaluate and compare two different sedation and analgesia regimens used during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) procedures. A total of 96 adult patients undergoing elective PTBD or biliary stenting will be randomized to receive either propofol-remifentanil or propofol-ketamine sedation. The primary outcome is recovery time assessed using the Modified Aldrete Score. Secondary outcomes include procedure quality, pain scores, patient and operator satisfaction, hemodynamic stability, and the incidence of sedation-related adverse events. The study is designed to determine the optimal sedation strategy for PTBD, particularly in fragile and elderly patient populations.

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

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a therapeutic procedure commonly performed in patients with biliary obstruction when surgical intervention or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not feasible. These patients frequently present with advanced age, malignancy, cholangitis, and significant comorbidities, making them particularly vulnerable to sedation-related complications.

Procedural sedation and analgesia are commonly used during interventional radiology procedures to ensure patient comfort, immobility, and procedural success. However, inadequate sedation may result in patient movement, increased anxiety, procedural failure, and complications, whereas excessive sedation may lead to hemodynamic instability, respiratory depression, and delayed recovery, especially in frail patients.

In this study, two commonly used sedation regimens-propofol combined with remifentanil and propofol combined with ketamine-will be compared. Both regimens are routinely used in non-operating room anesthesia settings in our institution. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of the two groups. Standard monitoring will be applied, including non-invasive blood pressure, electrocardiography, and pulse oximetry, with supplemental oxygen administered via nasal cannula.

Sedation depth will be targeted to a Ramsay Sedation Score of 3-4 and assessed every five minutes during the procedure. Hemodynamic parameters, oxygen saturation, pain scores, recovery time, and adverse events such as hypotension, bradycardia, hypoxia, nausea, vomiting, and airway interventions will be recorded. Recovery will be evaluated using the Modified Aldrete Score at two-minute intervals until adequate recovery is achieved.

The primary objective of the study is to compare recovery times between the two sedation regimens. Secondary objectives include comparison of pain intensity, patient and operator satisfaction, total drug consumption, procedural tolerance, and incidence of adverse events. The findings of this study aim to contribute to safer and more effective sedation strategies for PTBD procedures in high-risk patient populations.

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.
98

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 Locations

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:

  • Scheduled for elective percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and/or biliary stenting
  • ASA physical status II-IV
  • Fasting time of at least 6 hours prior to the procedure
  • Ability to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to provide informed consent or to complete study assessments (e.g., Ramsay Sedation Scale, FRAIL scale, Numeric Rating Scale)
  • Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
  • Clinical diagnosis of demantia
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to propofol, remifentanil, ketamine, ondansetron, or deksketoprofen
  • Grade 3-4 aortic, mitral, or tricuspid valve disease
  • Advanced or decompensated heart failure (ejection fraction <25%)
  • Emergency procedures
  • Refusal to participate in the study

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: None (Open Label)

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.
Experimental: Propofol-Remifentanil
Participants received intravenous propofol 0.5 mg/kg followed by a continuous intravenous remifentanil infusion initiated at 0.10-0.18 mcg/kg/min during the procedure. The remifentanil infusion rate was adjusted within the specified range according to clinical response to maintain adequate sedation, analgesia, and hemodynamic stability throughout the procedure.
Drug: Remifentanil
Intravenous propofol combined with remifentanil infusion for procedural sedation during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.
Experimental: Propofol-Ketamine
IParticipants received intravenous propofol 0.5 mg/kg followed by intravenous ketamine 0.3 mg/kg. Additional intravenous ketamine 5 mg was administered every 5 minutes as needed during the procedure to maintain the target sedation level and hemodynamic stability.
Drug: Ketamine
Intravenous propofol combined with ketamine bolus for procedural sedation during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.

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
Recovery Time
Time Frame: From completion of the procedure until Modified Aldrete Score >8, assessed up to 30 minutes
Time to achieve adequate recovery assessed using the Modified Aldrete Score.
From completion of the procedure until Modified Aldrete Score >8, assessed up to 30 minutes

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
Hemodynamic Stability
Time Frame: Baseline, every 5 minutes during the procedure (assessed up to 60 minutes), and immediately after the procedure.
Changes in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation during the procedure.
Baseline, every 5 minutes during the procedure (assessed up to 60 minutes), and immediately after the procedure.
Pain Intensity
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-procedure), immediately after recovery, and at 30 minutes post-recovery.
Pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)
Baseline (pre-procedure), immediately after recovery, and at 30 minutes post-recovery.
Sedation Depth
Time Frame: Every 5 minutes during the procedure, assessed up to 30 minutes.
Sedation level assessed using the Ramsay Sedation Scale.
Every 5 minutes during the procedure, assessed up to 30 minutes.
Adverse Events
Time Frame: Perioperatively and through the recovery period, assessed up to 30 minutes.
Incidence of sedation-related adverse events including hypotension, bradycardia, hypoxia, apnea, nausea, and vomiting.
Perioperatively and through the recovery period, assessed up to 30 minutes.
Patient and Operator Satisfaction
Time Frame: Immediately after the procedure
Patient and operator satisfaction assessed after completion of the procedure.
Immediately after the procedure

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.
Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

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.
February 1, 2026

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.
May 30, 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.
June 10, 2026

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).
January 12, 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.
June 8, 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.
June 10, 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.
June 10, 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.
June 8, 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.
January 1, 2026

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.
  • TABED-1-25-1188

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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