Comparison of Dexmedetomidine Versus Dexamethasone as Adjuvants to Bupivacaine in Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block for Acute Pain Management in Patients With Traumatic Rib Fractures
September 14, 2026 updated by: Mohamed Elsayed Ali Ibraheim, Assiut University
Comparison of Dexmedetomidine Versus Dexamethasone as Adjuvants to Bupivacaine in Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block for Acute Pain Management in Patients With Traumatic Rib Fractures: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Study
Traumatic rib fractures cause severe chest wall pain that can impair normal breathing, coughing, and lung function. While systemic opioids are commonly used to treat traumatic pain, their side effects, such as sedation and respiratory depression, can complicate recovery. Regional nerve blocks like the ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) offer targeted pain relief while minimizing opioid requirements.
The purpose of this clinical trial is to compare the analgesic efficacy and respiratory outcomes of adding dexmedetomidine versus dexamethasone to bupivacaine during an ultrasound-guided ESPB in emergency department patients with acute traumatic rib fractures.
Participants aged 18 to 65 years presenting within 24 hours of rib injury will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- Dexmedetomidine Group: Receives an ultrasound-guided ESPB with bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine.
- Dexamethasone Group: Receives an ultrasound-guided ESPB with bupivacaine plus dexamethasone.
The primary outcome is the duration of analgesia, measured as the time to the first request for rescue pain medication. Secondary outcomes include pain scores at rest and during coughing/deep breathing, total 24-hour opioid consumption, diaphragmatic motion evaluated by ultrasound, respiratory recovery, and the incidence of adverse events over a 24-hour follow-up period.
Study Overview
Status
Not yet recruiting
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Study Type
Interventional
Enrollment (Estimated)
100
Phase
- Phase 2
- Phase 3
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:
- Adult patients aged 18 to 65 years
- Both sexes
- American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II
- Acute traumatic rib fractures confirmed by appropriate imaging
- Flail-chest patients who are hemodynamically and respiratory stable to undergo erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and reliable assessment
- Spontaneously breathing patients or patients receiving supplemental oxygen/non-invasive respiratory support without an immediate indication for intubation
- Ability to report pain using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)
- Presentation within 24 hours of trauma
- Ability to provide written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patient refusal to participate
- Immediate need for endotracheal intubation or invasive mechanical ventilation prior to randomization or block placement
- Hemodynamic instability requiring immediate resuscitation or vasopressor support precluding safe regional anesthesia
- Cardiorespiratory arrest or peri-arrest status
- Severe associated traumatic brain injury or other injuries preventing reliable clinical evaluation
- Major associated injury requiring immediate emergency operative or interventional procedures that prevent protocol completion
- Coagulopathy or any contraindication to regional anesthesia
- Local infection at the anticipated block needle insertion site
- Known allergy to amide local anesthetics, dexmedetomidine, or dexamethasone
- Significant bradyarrhythmia, high-grade atrioventricular block, or contraindication to dexmedetomidine
- Chronic opioid consumption or chronic pain syndromes requiring regular analgesic therapy
- Prior regional anesthesia performed for the current trauma
- Inability to cooperate with the procedure or pain evaluation
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: Quadruple
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Active Comparator: Dexmedetomidine Group
Participants receive an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine (0.5 mcg/kg) following local skin infiltration with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine.
|
Ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) administered deep to the erector spinae muscle and superficial to the transverse process (typically T4-T6) using bupivacaine supplemented with dexmedetomidine (0.5 mcg/kg) following local skin infiltration with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine.
|
|
Active Comparator: Dexamethasone Group
Participants receive an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with bupivacaine plus dexamethasone (4 mg) following local skin infiltration with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine.
|
Ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) administered deep to the erector spinae muscle and superficial to the transverse process (typically T4-T6) using bupivacaine supplemented with dexamethasone (4 mg) following local skin infiltration with 5 mL of 2% lidocaine.
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Time to First Rescue Analgesic Request
Time Frame: Up to 24 hours post-block
|
Time (in minutes) from the completion of the ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block until the patient's first request for rescue analgesia (or when the Numeric Rating Scale score is 4 or greater).
|
Up to 24 hours post-block
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
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 (Estimated)
October 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
October 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
November 1, 2027
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
September 14, 2026
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
September 14, 2026
First Posted (Actual)
September 18, 2026
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
September 18, 2026
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
September 14, 2026
Last Verified
September 1, 2026
More Information
Terms related to this study
Keywords
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Pain
- Neurologic Manifestations
- Wounds and Injuries
- Fractures, Bone
- Thoracic Injuries
- Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
- Signs and Symptoms
- Acute Pain
- Rib Fractures
- Organic Chemicals
- Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring
- Heterocyclic Compounds
- Azoles
- Polycyclic Compounds
- Imidazoles
- Anilides
- Amides
- Aniline Compounds
- Amines
- Pregnadienes
- Pregnanes
- Steroids
- Fused-Ring Compounds
- Steroids, Fluorinated
- Pregnadienetriols
- Dexamethasone
- Bupivacaine
- Dexmedetomidine
Other Study ID Numbers
- Dexmedetomidine vs Dex in ESPB
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
No
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