Clinical trial NCT03677778: Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block Washout to Reverse Inadvertent Phrenic Nerve Blockade
Official title: Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block Washout to Reverse Inadvertent Phrenic Nerve Blockade
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Anesthesia, Local
Phrenic Nerve Paralysis
Upper Extremity Injury
Phrenic Nerve Palsy on the Left
Phrenic Nerve Palsy on the Right
Lead sponsor: Stanford University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-09-19
Enrollment: 43
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: One of the most frequently performed peripheral nerve blocks (the injection of local anesthetic near nerves to block sensation/ movement to a specific part of the body) is the interscalene brachial plexus block for upper extremity surgeries. This type of block can unmask underlying respiratory issues such as shortness of breath due to a well-known and typically insignificant side effect of temporary diaphragmatic paralysis.

The nerve block may be able to use saline solution to wash out the local anesthetic and potentially reverse this respiratory side effect. Specifically, the goal of this study is to determine if the injection of saline through the nerve block catheter reverses blockade of the phrenic nerve supplying the diaphragm, without affecting the ability of the nerve block to provide pain control after surgery.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion criteria:

* All adult patients (18 years and over) scheduled for surgery requiring a continuous interscalene brachial plexus nerve block catheter as part of their anesthetic care.

Exclusion criteria:

* Concomitant life-threatening injuries and other concomitant injuries causing significant pain
* Pregnant
* Any condition impairing patient's ability to consent to participation in study, and an existing condition contraindicating a nerve block, i.e. nerve injury, existing bleeding disorder, infection in the vicinity of the block, and patient refusal.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in forced vital capacity (FVC)
timeFrame: Before the nerve block placement, within 1 hour after the surgery, then in 5, 15, and 30 minutes after the saline injection/placebo (1 minute each for a total of 5 assessments)
measure: Change in peak expiratory flow (PEF)
timeFrame: Before the nerve block placement, within 1 hour after the surgery, then in 5, 15, and 30 minutes after the saline injection/placebo (1 minute each for a total of 5 assessments)
measure: Change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)
timeFrame: Before the nerve block placement, within 1 hour after the surgery, then in 5, 15, and 30 minutes after the saline injection/placebo (1 minute each for a total of 5 assessments)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Diaphragmatic excursion
timeFrame: Before nerve block is placed, within 1 hour after the surgery, and while receiving either the placebo or treatment (5 minutes each for a total of 3 assessments.)
measure: Brachial plexus sensory and motor exam
timeFrame: Before nerve block is placed, within 1 hour after the surgery, and while receiving either the placebo or treatment (2 minutes each for a total of 3 assessments).
measure: Pain scores
timeFrame: Pain scores will be assessed before nerve block is placed, within 1 hour after the surgery, while receiving either the placebo or treatment. (1 minute each for a total of 3 assessments)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Palo Alto
country: United States
facility: Stanford Health Care (SHC)
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: Stanford University
name: Ban Tsui, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Urmey WF, Talts KH, Sharrock NE. One hundred percent incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis associated with interscalene brachial plexus anesthesia as diagnosed by ultrasonography. Anesth Analg. 1991 Apr;72(4):498-503. doi: 10.1213/00000539-199104000-00014.
citation: Urmey WF, McDonald M. Hemidiaphragmatic paresis during interscalene brachial plexus block: effects on pulmonary function and chest wall mechanics. Anesth Analg. 1992 Mar;74(3):352-7. doi: 10.1213/00000539-199203000-00006.
citation: Lenters TR, Davies J, Matsen FA 3rd. The types and severity of complications associated with interscalene brachial plexus block anesthesia: local and national evidence. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2007 Jul-Aug;16(4):379-87. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2006.10.007. Epub 2007 Apr 19.
citation: Zink W, Graf BM. Local anesthetic myotoxicity. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2004 Jul-Aug;29(4):333-40. doi: 10.1016/j.rapm.2004.02.008.
citation: Katircioglu K, Ozkalkanli MY, Kalfaoglu H, Sannav S, Ozgurbuz U, Savaci S. Reversal of prilocaine epidural anesthesia using epidural saline or ringer's lactate washout. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2007 Sep-Oct;32(5):389-92. doi: 10.1016/j.rapm.2007.06.004.
citation: Park EY, Kil HK, Park WS, Lee NH, Hong JY. Effect of epidural saline washout on regression of sensory and motor block after epidural anaesthesia with 2% lidocaine and fentanyl in elderly patients. Anaesthesia. 2009 Mar;64(3):273-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05746.x.
citation: Sitzman BT, DiFazio CA, Playfair PA, Stevens RA, Hanes CF, Herman TB, Yates HK, Leisure GS. Reversal of lidocaine with epinephrine epidural anesthesia using epidural saline washout. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2001 May-Jun;26(3):246-51. doi: 10.1053/rapm.2001.22587.
citation: Ip VH, Tsui BC. Continuous interscalene block: the good, the bad and the refined spread. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2012 Apr;56(4):526-30. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2012.02650.x. Epub 2012 Feb 16.
citation: Courtney KR, Kendig JJ, Cohen EN. Frequency-dependent conduction block: the role of nerve impulse pattern in local anesthetic potency. Anesthesiology. 1978 Feb;48(2):111-7. No abstract available.
citation: Gerber LN, Sun LY, Ma W, Basireddy S, Guo N, Costouros J, Cheung E, Boublik J, Horn JL, Tsui BC. Clinical effect of normal saline injectate into interscalene nerve block catheters given within one hour of local anesthetic bolus on analgesia and hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Feb;46(2):124-129. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2020-101922. Epub 2020 Nov 12.