Completed

NCT Number: NCT00992810

Medial Versus Lateral Approach in Ultrasound (US)-Guided Supraclavicular Block

The ultrasound guided supraclavicular block is a peripheral nerve block which is considered safe, has a fast onset, is dense and provides complete block of the nerves supplying the hand, forearm and arm. However retrospective studies done at Toronto Western Hospital have highlighted the fact that most commonly the ulnar nerve fibres (responsible for sensations in the ring finger, little finger and the corresponding part of hand), sometimes escape this block and need additional supplementary block at a distal peripheral nerve site. It is a confusing fact since all nerve fibres are compactly arranged in a sheath at the supraclavicular level. The local anaesthetic agent at this level should be equally distributed among all nerve fibres. The purpose of this study is to compare two different approaches (medial and lateral) adopted by our clinicians to perform this block and to test the effectiveness of each approach for successful ulnar nerve fibre blockade.

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Hand or Arm Surgery

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Toronto Western Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

Adult patients presenting for upper limb surgery, excluding shoulder surgery
Age 18-80 yrs
BMI < 35
ASA I - III
Consent for the study

Exclusion criteria

Pre-existing sensory or motor neurodeficit.
Sensitivity to local anaesthetic agents.
Patients on anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications (Minidose Aspirin is acceptable) with abnormal coagulation profile.
Compromised pulmonary reserve due to COPD, Kypho-scoliosis or Restricted lung disease.
Infection or any obvious pathology at the site of block performance
History of drug abuse.
Psychiatric disease or any condition that precludes an informed consent.

Treatment and study plan

Lateral-to-Medial Approach

Procedure

Approach of the needle to administer the brachial plexus nerve block will be done in a lateral-to-medial direction.

Media-to-Lateral Approach

Procedure

Approach of the needle to administer the brachial plexus nerve block will be done in a medial-to-lateral direction.

Primary outcomes

Successful block of the Ulnar nerve (C8,T1) fibres. Sensory block with a score of '1' at 30 minutes (loss of sensation to pin prick) is considered successful.

Time frame: 1 hour prior to surgery

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Health Network, Toronto

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Medial vs. Lateral Approach to Ultrasound-Guided Supraclavicular Block: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start: 2009
Primary completion: 2010
Study completion: 2010
First posted: Oct 9, 2009
Registry last updated: Dec 4, 2017

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.