Bilateral cervical blocks to reduce pain after thyroid surgery

ENDOblock: Do Bilateral Superficial Cervical Blocks With Local Wound Infiltration Decrease Postoperative Pain After Thyroid Surgery

NA · University of California, Davis · NCT05805423

This study is testing if a special pain relief method can help people feel less pain and nausea after thyroid surgery.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment74 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 99 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of California, Davis (other)
Locations1 site (Sacramento, California)
Trial IDNCT05805423 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the effectiveness of bilateral superficial cervical plexus blocks combined with local wound infiltration in reducing postoperative pain, nausea, vomiting, and opioid use in patients undergoing thyroid surgery. It is a single-center, prospective, double-blinded randomized controlled trial involving 74 participants, who will be randomly assigned to either the treatment group or a placebo group. The primary outcomes will be assessed during a two-week follow-up period after surgery, focusing on pain levels and quality of recovery.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are adults over 18 years old who are scheduled for thyroid surgery and can provide informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients who have had previous neck surgery, are pregnant, or have chronic pain conditions may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption for patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with similar nerve block techniques in reducing postoperative pain, suggesting this approach may be effective.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* undergoing thyroid surgery, either hemi- or total thyroidectomy
* over 18 years-old and
* able to consent for themselves

Exclusion Criteria:

* have had previous neck surgery
* have coagulation disorders
* on anticoagulants
* are pregnant
* allergic to bupivacaine
* anyone with chronic pain conditions
* has received steroid injections or used opioids/pain medications in the two weeks leading up to surgery
* have a substernal goiters
* undergoing lateral neck lymph node dissection
* unable to take NSAIDs
* kidney dysfunction (defined as GFR \<60) within 90 days of surgery, prohibiting the use of NSAIDs

Where this trial is running

Sacramento, California

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Post Operative Pain, Nausea and Vomiting, Postoperative, Opioid Use, bilateral superficial cervical plexus block, post operative pain after thyroidectomy

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.