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NCT Number: NCT04211935

Identification of Best Postoperative Analgesia Method Following a Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum

Pectus excavatum is the most common chest wall deformity in children, accounting for 90% of all congenital chest wall deformities. It occurs in one to eight per 1000 live births. The severity of the pectus deformity may become more noticeable during pubertal growth spurs and repair is therefore usually performed in the teenage years. A common operative procedure to repair a pectus deformity is the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE). The MIRPE involves the substernal placement of a contoured metal bar secured to the lateral aspect of the ribs. This metal bar allows for correction of the concave deformity by applying constant outward pressure to the underside of the sternum. Although the cosmetic results are excellent, patients do report significant pain from the constant pressure exerted on the chest wall from the metal bar. Pain management approaches tend to differ on both the provider and institutional level. There is a lack of evidence regarding which postoperative analgesia method is best. To address this research gap, this proposal aims to conduct a randomized controlled trail using the three most commonly used methods; 1) patient controlled analgesia (PCA); 2) erector spinae blocks (ESB) with continuous infusion pumps; and 3) video-assisted intercostal nerve cryoablation (INC).

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Key information

Conditions

Pectus Excavatum Bone Diseases Bone Diseases, Developmental Congenital Abnormalities Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Funnel Chest Musculoskeletal Abnormalities Musculoskeletal Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pain, Postoperative Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Postoperative Complications Signs and Symptoms

Age range

12 year–21 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Children's Hospital Colorado

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

About this study

Pectus excavatum deformity is a common condition in a pediatric surgical practice. While MIRPE provides excellent cosmetic results and is associated with shorter operative time and lower intraoperative blood loss, the immediate correction of the concave deformity with a metal bar places patients in a difficult pain control situation. While multiple postoperative analgesia modalities have been studied, there is still a need for a large, prospective, randomized trial that is appropriately powered to evaluate the best pain control modality after MIRPE. Of the clinically appropriate interventions, ESB and INC have been shown to have comparable LOS after the operation, especially when employed as part of an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) bundle. Comparing these newer analgesia modalities to the more established PCA approach may help identify the most effective postoperative pain control approach that maximizes the safety profile while minimizing the use of narcotic pain medications after MIRPE.

The investigators propose a prospective randomized trial evaluating the effectiveness of INC, PCA and ESB with continuous local anesthetic infusion via a pain pump delivery system. All groups will follow a multimodal enhanced recovery pathway. Groups will different only in the use of INC, PCA, or ESB.

Since previous studies have reported similarly short LOS for both ESB and INC, but no prospective, direct comparisons of these techniques have been done, we believe comparing these two groups to the more established PCA modality will further advance the field of post MIRPE pain management by providing precise estimates of length of stay (LOS), hospital resource utilization, and other important outcomes that have not received sufficient attention including pain, quality of life, resumption of activities of daily living, and a rigorous survey for potential adverse outcomes. The investigators specifically hypothesize that because of the long-term analgesia of up to 2-3 months, the INC group may experience not only shorter LOS but decreased narcotic use than the ESB and PCA groups, and also improved quality of life, with fewer encounters in the postoperative period (30 days) for pain related concerns.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • All patients with a pectus excavatum deformity that will undergo a MIRPE procedure will be included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

  • < 12 years old
  • > 21 years old
  • chronic narcotic preoperative use
  • previous repair of pectus excavatum deformity
  • previous thoracic surgery
  • pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

Use of PCA

Device

A commercially available PCA pump will be connected to the patient's intravenous line at the end of the MIRPE operation.

Use of ESB for postoperative pain control after MIRPE

Device

Pediatric anesthesiologists will place ESB at the time of the MIRPE operation if study participants are randomized into this group.

Use of INC for postoperative pain control after MIRPE

Device

Pediatric surgeons will perform INC during the MIRPE operation if they are randomized to this group.

Primary outcomes

  1. Length of Stay

    Time frame: 24 months

    The investigators will measure the total length of stay following the operation until discharge from the hospital.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Total intravenous and oral opioid use

    Time frame: 24 months

    The investigators will quantify the total opioid usage during the hospitalization and also at home and will convert the total results to morphine equivalences for standardization.

  2. Postoperative pain

    Time frame: 24 months

    The investigators will use reported pain scores to quantify this measure. Scale of 0-10 (0=no pain, 10=worst pain experienced). The investigators will also ask about chest numbness for those in the INC group and will report it on a 0-100% scale (0%=no numbness at all, 100%=completely numb or absent of any sensation).

  3. Quality of life after MIRPE

    Time frame: 24 months

    The investigators will use a questionnaire to identify if patients are back to baseline and performing their activities of daily living. The investigators will also ask about resumption of any sports related activities after the appropriate postoperative restriction timeframe has passed. This will be a multiple choice questionnaire that will record if 1) they are back to baseline, 2) they are almost back to baseline, 3) they are not back to baseline at all. The investigators will also ask in a multiple choice manner if they have resumed their activities of daily living. The possible answers will be 1) Yes, 2) Incorporating some of the preoperative activities, 3) No

  4. Complications

    Time frame: 24 months

    The investigators will ask patients about postoperative complications when they are at home. We will also refer back to the chart for any complications that occur during the initial postoperative period or those that have required a readmission after the initial operation.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Other

Collaborators

  • Children's Hospital Colorado

Registry information

Official study title

The Use of Video-assisted Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation, Erector Spinae Block, and Thoracic Epidural for Postoperative Analgesia After Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum

Acronym: (MIRPE)

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Dec 26, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 28, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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