Decadron as Adjuvant in Femoral Nerve Blocks in Knee Arthroscopy

Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Ropivacaine for Femoral Nerve Blocks in Children Undergoing Knee Arthroscopy

If preservative-free dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg (max dose 4 mg) is added to ropivacaine 0.5% 2 mg/kg (max dose 100 mg), then post-PACU opioid consumption will be reduced by 33%.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Knee Injury
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Dexamethasone; Drug: Ropivacaine

Detailed Description

Following informed consent, patients will be randomized to one (1) of three (3) arms. Group D patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) with 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg) perineurally for their femoral block. Group D will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of saline of volume equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml). Group R patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) combined with a volume of saline equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml) perineurally. Group R will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of saline of volume equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml). Group M patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) combined with a volume of saline equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml) perineurally. Group M will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg). The randomization will be blinded to the patient, surgery team, anesthesia team, recovery nurses, and clinical research nurses.

The remainder of the anesthetic care will remain the same per our usual routine for these cases. On arrival to the operating room:

1. Standard American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) monitors will be placed on the patient (ECG, pulse oximetry, non-invasive BP, thermistor).
2. A peripheral intravenous catheter will be placed while patient is inhaling 50% nitrous oxide.
3. Intravenous induction will be accomplished with midazolam 2 mg, propofol 2-3 mg/kg.
4. Once induction is complete, a laryngeal mask airway will be placed.
5. Maintenance of anesthesia will be provided with inhaled sevoflurane titration.
6. The femoral nerve block will be performed by one of the anesthesiologist co-investigators.
7. After completion of a pre-block time-out, the patient's groin on side of surgery will be prepped with chlorhexidine.
8. Using aseptic technique, a needle will be advanced under ultrasound guidance to the femoral nerve.
9. In addition to ultrasound, a nerve stimulator may be used at the anesthesiologist's discretion to help identify the femoral nerve.
10. After identification of the femoral nerve, the perineural study drug will be injected around the femoral nerve.
11. Using aseptic technique the intramuscular study drug will be injected into the gluteus muscle.
12. For intraoperative increases in heart rate or systolic blood pressure >20 % above levels immediately prior to incision, fentanyl will be given in 1 µg/kg increments every 5 minutes until below this threshold. (No acetaminophen, ketorolac, or IV dexamethasone will be given)
13. Once the patient arrives to PACU, dilaudid 5 µg/kg (max. dose 0.3 mg) every ten minutes may be given until patient VAS score is less than or equal to 4.
14. In the surgery unit, patients may receive one dose of hydrocodone-acetaminophen (7.5 mg/325 mg/15 ml) liquid suspension 0.1 mg/kg hydrocodone PO (max. dose 10mg hydrocodone) and then may receive dilaudid 5 µg/kg IV if pain persists above a VAS of 4 (max. dose 0.3 mg).
15. Patients will be discharged from the surgery unit with a prescription for hydrocodone-acetaminophen (7.5 mg/325 mg/15 ml) liquid suspension. The prescription will be for 0.1 mg/kg hydrocodone PO (max. dose 10 mg hydrocodone) every 4 hours as needed for all patients.
16. Patients will be sent home with a pain diary to record consumption of pain medication, when 1st dose of pain medications was taken, when sensory and motor blocks resolved and degree of motor block 24 and 48 hours according to the Bromage scale (Table 1). All adverse effects including nausea, vomiting, pruritus, excessive sedation will be asked to be recorded in the diary.
17. A clinical research nurse will collect information on opioid consumption on day of surgery (DOS) and intensity of motor block in PACU according to the Bromage scale.
18. On post-operative day 1 and 2 a clinical research nurse will call to collect information from the diary for analysis. If sensory or motor blockade persists on day 2, then the patient will be called on day 3. If neurologic symptoms persist after 72 hours, the patient will be asked to come to pre-operative clinic for a neurologic examination by an anesthesiologist. If neurological deficits are present on exam, the patient will be referred to a neurologist. Neurology will then determine if further testing is required. In addition, all patients will be contacted by telephone at 2 weeks after study initiation. If any new neurologic deficits are reported at this time, patients will be brought into the preoperative clinic and undergo the same evaluations.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 77
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43205
      • Nationwide Children's Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 10 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children older than 10, and younger than 19 years of age undergoing unilateral arthroscopic surgery of the knee
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Status I or II
• Patient's parent/guardian willing and able to give consent
• Patient willing to give assent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair
• Systemic steroid use within the last 3 months
• Diabetes mellitus
• Females testing positive for pregnancy
• BMI > 98th percentile
• Positive pregnancy test
• Coagulopathy
• Renal or hepatic disease
• Pre-existing motor or sensory deficits in the lower extremities
• Predisposition for falls based on pre-existing sensory or motor deficits of the legs or inability to perform crutch training.
• Non-English speaking
• Systemic fungal infection
• Immunosuppressed patients

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group D; Group D patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) with 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg) perineurally for their femoral block. Group D will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of saline of volume equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml).	Drug: Dexamethasone; Patients may receive 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg) either perineurally or intramuscularly.; Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) perineurally.
Placebo Comparator: Group R; Group R patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) combined with a volume of saline equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml) perineurally. Group R will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of saline of volume equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml).	Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) perineurally.
Active Comparator: Group M; Group M patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) combined with a volume of saline equivalent to 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. volume 0.4 ml) perineurally. Group M will also receive a gluteal intramuscular injection of 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg).	Drug: Dexamethasone; Patients may receive 0.1 mg/kg preservative-free dexamethasone (max. dose 4 mg) either perineurally or intramuscularly.; Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will receive 2 mg/kg of 0.5% ropivacaine (max. dose 100 mg) perineurally.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Intra-operative and Post-operative Opioid Consumption	Number of doses of narcotic pain medicine administered during surgery and up to 48 hours after discharge from surgery center.	Intra-operative and up to 48 hours post-discharge, an average of 48 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Post-operative Pain Scores	Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores (0 being no pain and 10 being worst pain) from arrival to post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) to 48 hours after discharge from surgery center.	Immediately post-operatively and up to 48 hours post-discharge, an average of 48 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Nationwide Children's Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Giorgio Veneziano, MD, Nationwide Children's Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Veneziano G, Martin DP, Beltran R, Barry N, Tumin D, Burrier C, Klingele K, Bhalla T, Tobias JD. Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Femoral Nerve Block in Children and Adolescents Undergoing Knee Arthroscopy: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 May;43(4):438-444. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000739.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 22, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 24, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): October 29, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 11, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2018
• Last Verified: November 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Pediatrics; Dexamethasone; Adjuvant; Ropivacaine; Peripheral nerve blocks; Knee arthroscopy; Femoral nerve blocks
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Leg Injuries; Knee Injuries; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Central Nervous System Depressants; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Sensory System Agents; Anesthetics; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Antiemetics; Gastrointestinal Agents; Glucocorticoids; Hormones; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Anesthetics, Local; Dexamethasone; Ropivacaine
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB13-00610