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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00613340

The Specificity of Cervical Facet Medial Branch Blocks

Cervical facet arthropathy is a common cause of chronic neck pain. The "gold standard" for diagnosis is either blocking the facet joints, or more commonly blocking the medial branch nerves that innervate the joints. However, many studies have found a high false-positive rate when the nerves are blocked using 0.5 ml of local anesthetic. We will randomize patients to receive either cervical facet medial branch blocks with 0.25 ml of local anesthetic and contrast, or 0.5 ml. We will then do a CT scan to determine the accuracy and specificity of each block. Our hypothesis is that using the higher volume (0.5 ml) might be responsible for the high false-positive rate.

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Key information

Conditions

Neck Pain Cervical Facet Arthropathy Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20307, United States

About this study

Inclusion criteria

Dept. of Defense beneficiaries > 18 years of age; neck pain > 3 months duration; cervical paraspinal tenderness Exclusion criteria: Radicular signs or symptoms; use of anticoagulants or bleeding disorder.

Outcome measures: The number of blocks whereby the contrast bathes the target nerve; the number of blocks whereby the contrast spreads to the medial branch nerve at the adjacent spinal level; the number of times the contrast diffuses into the intervertebral foramen or epidural space. We will also compare pain relief over 8 hours following the block between both volumes.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age > 18 years
  • Chronic neck pain > 3 months
  • Paraspinal tenderness

Exclusion criteria

  • Absence of radicular symptoms
  • No bleeding diathesis
  • Contrast allergy

Treatment and study plan

Cervical medial branch blocks

Procedure

Cervical medial branch blocks done with 0.25 ml of local anesthetic and contrast

Primary outcomes

  1. Accuracy of injections

    Time frame: Immediately after nerve blocks.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pain relief after nerve blocks

    Time frame: 8 hours after blocks

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Johns Hopkins University

Other

Collaborators

  • Army Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management Initiative

Registry information

Official study title

Randomized Study Comparing the Accuracy and Specificity of Cervical Facet Medial Branch Blocks With 0.25 ml and 0.5 ml of Local Anesthetic

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2009
Study completion
2009
First posted
Feb 13, 2008
Registry last updated
Aug 7, 2009

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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