Comparing Pain Relief Between Two Methods of Freezing Injections in Children Having Their Appendix Removed

NCT ID: NCT06945263

Last Updated: 2025-05-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

32 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-05-01

Study Completion Date

2026-04-27

Brief Summary

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Laparoscopic appendectomies are the most common emergency surgeries performed in children. Despite being considered minimally invasive surgeries, they can result in substantial postoperative pain and 2 of 3 patients require postoperative opioids. Increased postoperative pain can delay recovery, increase hospital admission time, lead to chronic pain, and cause patient distress. This study aims to reduce postoperative pain in this population by comparing the recovery outcomes associated with the administration of (1) an RSB with coadministration of IV dexamethasone as an LA adjunct (RSB+dex group) prior to the incision with (2) LA infiltration alone by the surgeon (LA group).

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Caregivers

Study Groups

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Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone

The rectus sheath block (RSB) is already current standard of care for laparoscopic appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. The RSB group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of local anesthetic, which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm will receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The anesthesia team will perform the bilateral RSBs using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision. The surgical team will then use the remaining 0.2 mL/kg to infiltrate the remaining port sites in RSB groups. Intravenous Dexamethasone will be administered concurrently.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Rectus Sheath Block

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Bilateral rectus sheath blocks using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision.

Intravenous Dexamethasone

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous Dexamethasone delivered concurrent to the RSB. Total dose of 150 mcg/kg up to a maximum of 8 mg.

Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site

Intervention Type DRUG

The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon up to a maximum of 10 mL.

Local Anesthetic

Local anesthetic at the incision site is also current standard of care for appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. This group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of LA which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm would receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The local anesthetic infiltration arm will receive the same local anesthetic as the rectus sheath block arm (0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000), injected by the surgeon. Surgeons can inject up to a total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site. The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site

Intervention Type DRUG

0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000. Total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site.

Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site

Intervention Type DRUG

The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon up to a maximum of 10 mL.

Interventions

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Rectus Sheath Block

Bilateral rectus sheath blocks using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site

0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000. Total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site.

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous Dexamethasone

Intravenous Dexamethasone delivered concurrent to the RSB. Total dose of 150 mcg/kg up to a maximum of 8 mg.

Intervention Type DRUG

Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site

The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon up to a maximum of 10 mL.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 4-18 years old
* Diagnosed with acute appendicitis.
* Undergoing a laparoscopic appendectomy

Exclusion Criteria

* Perforated/complicated appendicitis diagnosis
* Previous abdominal surgery
* Allergy to bupivacaine or dexamethasone
* Severe developmental delay preventing patients from using pain scales or adequately communicating pain
* Patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
* Patients with steroid dependence
Minimum Eligible Age

4 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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BC Children's Hospital Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of British Columbia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Prakash Krishnan

Clinical Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Prakash Krishnan, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of British Columbia

Locations

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British Columbia Children's Hospital

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Pearson AME, Roberts S, Turbitt LR. New blocks on the kids: core basic nerve blocks in paediatric anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2023 Jan;78(1):3-8. doi: 10.1111/anae.15876. Epub 2022 Oct 11. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36220155 (View on PubMed)

Shafy SZ, Miller R, Uffman JC, Tobias JD, Fetzer M, Nordin AB, Kenney B, Walia H, Veneziano G. An Enhanced Recovery Protocol that Facilitates Same-day Discharge for Simple Laparoscopic Appendectomies. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2019 Dec 5;4(6):e243. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000243. eCollection 2019 Nov-Dec.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32010869 (View on PubMed)

Gee K, Ngo S, Burkhalter L, Beres AL. Safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for uncomplicated appendicitis: A prospective cohort study. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 May;53(5):988-990. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2018.02.031. Epub 2018 Feb 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29510871 (View on PubMed)

Cairo SB, Raval MV, Browne M, Meyers H, Rothstein DH. Association of Same-Day Discharge With Hospital Readmission After Appendectomy in Pediatric Patients. JAMA Surg. 2017 Dec 1;152(12):1106-1112. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.2221.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28678998 (View on PubMed)

Alkhoury F, Burnweit C, Malvezzi L, Knight C, Diana J, Pasaron R, Mora J, Nazarey P, Aserlind A, Stylianos S. A prospective study of safety and satisfaction with same-day discharge after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2012 Feb;47(2):313-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.11.024.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22325382 (View on PubMed)

Cheng O, Cheng L, Burjonrappa S. Facilitating factors in same-day discharge after pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy. J Surg Res. 2018 Sep;229:145-149. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2018.03.072. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29936981 (View on PubMed)

Pehora C, Pearson AM, Kaushal A, Crawford MW, Johnston B. Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Nov 9;11(11):CD011770. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011770.pub2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29121400 (View on PubMed)

Edinoff AN, Houk GM, Patil S, Bangalore Siddaiah H, Kaye AJ, Iyengar PS, Cornett EM, Imani F, Mahmoudi K, Kaye AM, Urman RD, Kaye AD. Adjuvant Drugs for Peripheral Nerve Blocks: The Role of Alpha-2 Agonists, Dexamethasone, Midazolam, and Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Jul 4;11(3):e117197. doi: 10.5812/aapm.117197. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34540647 (View on PubMed)

Desai N, Albrecht E. Local anaesthetic adjuncts for peripheral nerve blockade. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2023 Oct 1;36(5):533-540. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001272. Epub 2023 Jun 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37314172 (View on PubMed)

Maloney C, Kallis M, El-Shafy IA, Lipskar AM, Hagen J, Kars M. Ultrasound-guided bilateral rectus sheath block vs. conventional local analgesia in single port laparoscopic appendectomy for children with nonperforated appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 Mar;53(3):431-436. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2017.05.027. Epub 2017 Jun 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28610706 (View on PubMed)

Hamill JK, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath block for laparoscopic appendicectomy: a randomized clinical trial. ANZ J Surg. 2015 Dec;85(12):951-6. doi: 10.1111/ans.12950. Epub 2015 Jan 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25581711 (View on PubMed)

Hamill JK, Rahiri JL, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath and transversus abdominis plane blocks in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Paediatr Anaesth. 2016 Apr;26(4):363-71. doi: 10.1111/pan.12855. Epub 2016 Feb 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26846889 (View on PubMed)

Russell P, von Ungern-Sternberg BS, Schug SA. Perioperative analgesia in pediatric surgery. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2013 Aug;26(4):420-7. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e3283625cc8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23756911 (View on PubMed)

Bosenberg A. Benefits of regional anesthesia in children. Paediatr Anaesth. 2012 Jan;22(1):10-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2011.03691.x. Epub 2011 Sep 7. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21895855 (View on PubMed)

Yu TC, Hamill JK, Liley A, Hill AG. Warm, humidified carbon dioxide gas insufflation for laparoscopic appendicectomy in children: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg. 2013 Jan;257(1):44-53. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31825f0721.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22824858 (View on PubMed)

Shim H, Gan TJ. Side effect profiles of different opioids in the perioperative setting: are they different and can we reduce them? Br J Anaesth. 2019 Sep;123(3):266-268. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.06.009. Epub 2019 Jul 17. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31326087 (View on PubMed)

Tomecka MJ, Bortsov AV, Miller NR, Solano N, Narron J, McNaull PP, Ricketts KJ, Lupa CM, McLean SA. Substantial postoperative pain is common among children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. Paediatr Anaesth. 2012 Feb;22(2):130-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2011.03711.x. Epub 2011 Sep 29.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21958060 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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F23-05308

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

H23-03547

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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