Comparing a single erector spinae block to parasternal plus serratus blocks for pain after sternotomy
Official title: Sternotomi İle Kardiyak Cerrahi Planlanan Hastalarda Postoperatif Sternotomi Ağrısının Yönetiminde Erektör Spina Plan Blok (ESPB) Ile Yüzeyel Parasternal İnterkostal Plan Bloğu (SPIPB) ve Serratus Anterior Plan Bloğu (SAPB) Kombinasyonunun Karşılaştırılması
Run by Uludag University · NCT07472296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will see if a single erector spinae nerve block or a combination of superficial parasternal and serratus anterior blocks better controls pain and reduces opioid use in adults having elective open‑chest (sternotomy) heart surgery.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Uludag University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bursa, Nilüfer) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | October 2026 |
| Study ends | November 2026 |
| Registry record updated | March 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07472296 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–80 with ASA physical status I–III who are scheduled for elective cardiac surgery via median sternotomy and can give informed consent are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients having emergency or redo cardiac surgery, with BMI over 35, coagulopathy, infection at the injection site, allergy to local anesthetics, or severe organ failure are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized interventional study will enroll 50 adults (ages 18–80, ASA I–III) scheduled for elective cardiac surgery via median sternotomy and assign them before anesthesia to either an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) or a combined superficial parasternal intercostal plane block (SPIPB) plus serratus anterior plane block (SAPB). Nerve blocks are performed prior to induction of general anesthesia and standard intraoperative and postoperative care follows. Outcomes include pain scores at rest and with coughing (VAS), intraoperative opioid use, behavioral pain scores after surgery, extubation times, and time to first rescue analgesic. The protocol compares analgesic efficacy and opioid-sparing effects between the two regional anesthesia approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the better block strategy could reduce postoperative sternotomy pain, lower opioid requirements, and speed early recovery after cardiac surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Related regional blocks such as ESPB, SAPB, and parasternal blocks have shown promise in reducing thoracic and poststernotomy pain and opioid use, but direct head‑to‑head comparisons of ESPB versus the combined SPIPB+SAPB approach are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients aged between 18 and 80 years. * Patients classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I, II, or III. * Patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. * Patients who have provided written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy. * Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 35 kg/m². * Known allergy or hypersensitivity to local anesthetics (e.g., bupivacaine). * Suspected coagulopathy or bleeding disorders. * Infection at the site of the regional block injection. * Severe hepatic or renal failure. * Severe neurological or psychiatric disorders. * Emergency surgical procedures. * Re-operation cases (Redo-surgery)
Where it's running
-
Bursa Uludag University Hospital
Bursa, Nilüfer, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Two Ways to Help Pain After Breast Surgery: Education-Based Analgesia vs Standard Care
This trial tests whether teaching patients about pain management and using a multimodal pain plan improves pain control and recovery after breast surgery compared with standard care.
-
Dexketoprofen given by IV to see if it reduces rebound pain after shoulder block
This study tests whether giving an IV dose of dexketoprofen after shoulder surgery can lessen or prevent rebound pain when a nerve block wears off.
-
Brief audio-guided mindfulness for pain in orthopedic waiting rooms
This trial tests whether listening to short mindfulness audio clips can help reduce pain for adults waiting for orthopedic care.
-
Pain medication needs in the first hours after elective surgery in the PACU
This study will see which patient, surgery, and anesthesia factors are linked to how much pain medicine adults need immediately after elective surgery while in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
-
Using pupillometry to measure acute pain in children and teens
This project will test whether a non-invasive pupillometry device (AlgometRx Nociometer) can provide an objective measure of acute pain in children and adolescents ages 6 to 21 who are having elective surgery or undergoing bone marrow transplantation.
-
Using liposomal bupivacaine for pain relief after lung surgery
This study is testing whether a new form of pain relief called liposomal bupivacaine can help people manage pain better after lung surgery compared to the standard treatment.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.