Pain Control After VATS Anatomical Pulmonary Resections

July 28, 2025 updated by: Giovanni Maria Comacchio, University Hospital Padova

Pain Control After VATS Anatomical Pulmonary Resections: Randomized Comparison Between Cryoanalgesia, Erector Spinae Plane Block and Epidural Catheter

In patients undergoing minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, or VATS), moderate to severe post-operative pain may often be experienced. The presence of pain negatively affects the perceived quality of care and can predispose to complications, as the development of chronic pain.

In order to prevent post-operative pain, different multimodal pain treatment protocols are applied, consisting in combinations of local-regional anesthesiological techniques and intravenous medications.

Regional anesthesia is considered essential to prevent pain in the immediate post-operative period. However, to date, there is no agreement regarding which is the most effective regional anesthesiological technique; therefore, the choice is usually based on the Anesthetist's preferences.

The aim of this study is to compare three regional anesthesiological techniques (cryoanalgesia, epidural anesthesia, and erector spinae muscle plane block) routinely used during thoracoscopic lung surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

In patients undergoing minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, or VATS), moderate to severe post-operative pain may often be experienced. The presence of pain negatively affects the perceived quality of care and can predispose to complications, as the development of chronic pain.

In order to prevent post-operative pain, different multimodal pain treatment protocols are applied, consisting in combinations of local-regional anesthesiological techniques and intravenous medications.

Regional anesthesia is considered essential to prevent pain in the immediate post-operative period. However, to date, there is no agreement regarding which is the most effective regional anesthesiological technique; therefore, the choice is usually based on the Anesthetist's preferences.

The aim of this study is to compare three regional anesthesiological techniques (cryoanalgesia, epidural anesthesia, and erector spinae muscle plane block) routinely used during thoracoscopic lung surgery.

All patients undergoing anatomical pulmonary resections (lobectomy or segmentectomy) through a thoracoscopic (VATS) approach, and who present the inclusion/exclusion characteristics, will be considered.

The day of surgery, patients are randomized 1:1:1 to receive 3 different pain control techniques: epidural catheter, ESP block or cryoanalgesia.

A standard pain management protocol will be applied to all patient after surgery.

Primary Outcome Measure is the perceived post-operative pain 24 hours after surgery in the 3 groups, evaluated through numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). Other outcome measures are the post-operative pain trend and the patients' total amount of opioid use in the postoperative period (expressed as Morphine milligram equivalents).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

75

Phase

  • 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

  • Italy
      • Padua, Italy, 35128
        • Thoracic Surgery Unit

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • all patients undergoing VATS anatomic pulmonary resection (lobectomy or segmentectomy) for benign or malignant disease

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal or inability to give informed consent to the study protocol
  • Age < 18 years
  • Pregnancy
  • Allergies or contraindications to any of the treatments considered in the experimental design
  • Pre-operative use of pain medication for chronic pain or neuropathic pain
  • History of previous major chest surgery
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class > 3
  • Need for intensive care unit stay in the post-operative period
  • Patients undergoing anatomical pulmonary resections different than lobectomy or segmentectomy (bi-lobectomy or pneumonectomy).
  • Patients undergoing bronchial and/or vascular resections and reconstructions

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
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Epidural
In patients randomized to this Arm, before the induction of general anesthesia, the epidural catheter is placed in the intervertebral space (T4-T5, T5-6 or T6-T7) and used intra and post-operatively for administration of local anesthetics.
Procedure: Epidural
The epidural catheter is placed while the patient is awake, before the induction of general anesthesia. The intervertebral spaces used for catheter insertion are alternatively T4-T5, T5-6 or T6-T7. After locating the epidural space through the technique of the loss of resistance, a catheter is introduced for about 5 cm and left in place for the administration of drugs into the epidural space. Once the correct functioning of the epidural catheter has been verified with a negative test for cerebrospinal fluid aspiration and a negative bolus test for the onset of signs and symptoms from intrathecal infusion, the catheter is used intraoperatively for administration of local anesthetics in refracted boluses (Lidocaine and Ropivacaine ) at anesthetic dosage and postoperatively for continuous infusion of Ropivacaine 0.15% at 5 mL/h.
Experimental: ESP block
In patients randomized to this Arm, after induction of general anesthesia the Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is performed with a catheter introduced and left in place for continuous postoperative infusion of local anesthetics.
Procedure: ESP block
Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is performed after induction of general anesthesia, with the patient in a lateral decubitus position. With the aid of the ultrasound guide with linear probe, the transverse process of T5 ipsilateral to the site of the operation is identified. With the in-plane technique, the lower fascia of the ESP muscle is hydrodissected through the administration of Ropivacaine 0.5% 3 mg/Kg lean body weight. Subsequently, a catheter is introduced and left in place for continuous postoperative infusion of Ropivacaine 0.2% at 12 mL/h.
Experimental: Cryoanalgesia
In patients randomized to this Arm, after induction of general anesthesia and single lung ventilation the first thoracoscopic surgical access is performed. A cryoanesthesia device with a dedicated atraumatic angled-tip cryoprobe is inserted through the thoracoscopic access and the active tip of the probe is positioned in contact with the intercostal nerves from T3 to T8.
Procedure: Cryoanalgesia
Cryoanalgesia is performed after the induction of general anesthesia, single lung ventilation and after performing the first thoracoscopic surgical access. A cryoanesthesia device with a dedicated atraumatic angled-tip cryoprobe is inserted through the thoracoscopic access. The active tip of the probe is positioned in contact with the intercostal nerves from T3 to T8 and kept resting for 4 ½ minutes on each nerve at a temperature of -70°C, under direct thoracoscopic vision, generating an interruption of the sensory functions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Post-operative pain
Time Frame: 24 hours after surgery
Perceived post-operative pain 24 hours after surgery through Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS, value from 0 to 10, o=no pain, 10=worst pain ever)
24 hours after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Post-operative pain trend
Time Frame: 1,6,12 and 48 hours after surgery
Perceived post-operative pain 1,6,12 and 48 hours after surgery through Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS, value from 0 to 10, o=no pain, 10=worst pain ever)
1,6,12 and 48 hours after surgery
Rescue Analgesia
Time Frame: 48 hours after surgery
patients' total amount of opioid use in the postoperative period (expressed as Morphine milligram equivalents)
48 hours after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University Hospital Padova

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: MARCO MAMMANA, MD, PhD, PADUA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

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)

April 5, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 15, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

October 15, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 25, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 11, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

August 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 31, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 28, 2025

Last Verified

July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 5697/AO/23

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

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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