Pectoral nerve block versus local numbing for children getting chest pacemaker or ICD placement
Official title: Pectoral Nerve (PECS) Block for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIED) Implantation Surgery
Run by The Hospital for Sick Children · NCT04577690 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This test will see if giving a pectoral nerve block before implant surgery helps children need fewer opioids after chest device placement than local numbing alone.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 3 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Hospital for Sick Children Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toronto, Ontario) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 1, 2019 |
| Main results expected | January 1, 2028 |
| Study ends | January 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | April 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04577690 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Children aged 3 to 18 years who are having a cardiac implantable electronic device placed in the chest and whose parent/guardian provides consent are eligible.
✕Probably not a fit
Children under 3 years, those allergic to bupivacaine, or anyone with medical reasons that make regional anesthesia unsafe would not be expected to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a randomized, single-center trial at The Hospital for Sick Children comparing two pain-control approaches for pediatric cardiac device implantation. One group receives a pectoral nerve block plus limited local wound infiltration, and the other group receives local wound infiltration alone; both groups receive opioids as needed. The main outcome is postoperative opioid use and pain control in children aged 3–18 undergoing CIED surgery. The trial uses standard bupivacaine with epinephrine dosing and follows patients through the immediate postoperative period and early recovery at home.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the pectoral nerve block could reduce the amount of opioids children need after device implantation and improve pain control with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Pectoral nerve blocks have shown improved analgesia and reduced opioid use in adult breast and chest surgery and in small pediatric case series, but large randomized data for pediatric CIED implantation are lacking.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: • All patients 3-18 years undergoing CIED surgery in the chest Exclusion Criteria: * Children \< 3 years of age at time of procedure as bupivacaine is not licensed for this age group. * No parental or patient consent * Allergy to bupivacaine * Pregnancy or lactation * Any condition or diagnosis, that could in the opinion of the Principal Investigator or delegate interfere with the participant's ability to comply with study instructions, might confound the interpretation of the study results, or put the participant at risk.
Where it's running
-
Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Katherine Taylor — The Hospital for Sick Children
- Study coordinator: Katherine Taylor
- Email: katherine.taylor@sickkids.ca
- Phone: 416-813-7445
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Low-Volume PENG Block With Dexamethasone After Hip Replacement
This trial tests whether a smaller PENG block with dexamethasone provides similar pain relief but preserves quadriceps strength after hip replacement, compared with the standard-volume PENG block.
-
Analgesia after open inguinal hernia repair using intrathecal morphine or a transversalis fascia plane block
This trial tests whether intrathecal morphine or a ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block can provide better pain relief after open inguinal hernia repair in adults.
-
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.
-
Transverse vs Longitudinal Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Breast Surgery
This trial tests whether a longitudinal ultrasound view for serratus anterior plane block provides better pain relief after breast surgery than the standard transverse view.
-
iPAWS: Helping teens manage pain and risky behaviors after wisdom tooth removal
This program tests a short online intervention to help teens and their parents handle post-surgical pain and reduce risky behaviors after wisdom tooth extraction.
-
Single-shot nerve block with IV dexamethasone for rebound pain after shoulder surgery
This trial tests whether giving a one-time shoulder nerve block plus an IV dexamethasone dose can prevent rebound pain after shoulder surgery.
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.