Erector spinae plane block versus thoracoscopic intercostal nerve block for pain after VATS lung surgery

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This single-center, prospective, randomized non-inferiority trial randomizes adults having elective VATS lung resections to receive either an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) performed by an anesthesiologist before anesthesia induction or a thoracoscopically-guided intercostal nerve block (ICNB) performed by the surgeon intraoperatively. Both groups receive a standardized dose of 25 mL ropivacaine 0.375% and standardized perioperative anesthesia and analgesia protocols. Primary outcomes include postoperative analgesic consumption and pain scores in the first 24 hours after surgery, with secondary monitoring for complications and pulmonary outcomes. Participants are screened to exclude chronic pain, chronic opioid or substance use, coagulopathy, recent chest surgery, pregnancy, and other factors that could affect safety or assessment.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Provision of written informed consent
* Adults (≥ 18 years of age)
* Elective video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for pulmonary resection (e.g., lobectomy, segmentectomy, wedge resection)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Lack of informed consent
* Language barrier
* Pregnancy or breastfeeding
* Known allergy to local anesthetics used in the study
* Infection at the injection site(s)
* History of complex chest wall surgery
* Revision surgery with a prior operation within the last 6 months
* Intraoperative conversion to open thoracotomy
* Chronic pain syndrome
* Fibromyalgia
* Chronic opioid use
* Chronic alcohol abuse
* Chronic substance abuse (e.g., THC, amphetamines, cocaine)
* History of psychiatric disorders (e.g., depression, schizophrenia)
* Impaired consciousness, cognition, or ability to communicate
* Known coagulopathy (including platelet count \< 80,000/µL or prolonged PTT/aPTT \>1.5× the upper limit of normal)
* Ongoing therapeutic anticoagulation

Where it's running

• Sana Klinikum Offenbach
  Offenbach, Hesse, Germany Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Haitham Mutlak, Prof. Dr. — Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy at Sana Klinikum Offenbach
• Study coordinator: Prof. Dr. H. Mutlak
• Email: haitham.mutlak@sana.de
• Phone: 0049-69-8405-3802

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Nerve block to treat severe belly pain in the emergency department

  This study tests whether injecting anesthesia into the erector spinae plane can relieve non-surgical abdominal pain in the ED without relying on narcotics.

  Recruiting Early Phase 1 University of California, Irvine · Orange, California · NCT07826936

• Cervical ESPB to help pain after proximal humerus repair

  This study tests whether a cervical erector spinae plane block helps manage postoperative pain after surgery to fix a proximal humeral fracture in adults under general anesthesia.

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• Single-level vs two-level erector spinae plane block for breast surgery

  This study tests whether a single-level ESPB provides similar pain relief to a two-level ESPB for adults undergoing breast surgery.

  Recruiting Atatürk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital · Yenimahalle, Ankara · NCT07747623

• Midpoint transverse process to pleura block vs erector spinae plane block for thoracic herpes zoster pain

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  Recruiting Tanta University · Tanta, El-Gharbia · NCT07732556

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• Impact of Communication Delays on Anesthesia Response in Medical Emergencies and Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks

  This study tests how an 80-second communication delay affects the speed and quality of regional anesthesia nerve blocks during emergencies in a spaceflight-like setting.

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.