Ultrasound-guided reversed dorsal penile nerve block versus standard dorsal penile nerve block for pediatric circumcision

A Comparison of Reversed-Ultrasound-Guided Dorsal Penile Nerve Block (RUS-DPBP) and DPNB in Circumcisions for Pediatric Patients

NA · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois · NCT06706375

This trial will test whether an ultrasound-guided reversed dorsal penile nerve block gives better pain control and reduces opioid use compared with the standard landmark-based block in boys having circumcision.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment216 (estimated)
AgesN/A to 17 Years
SexMale
SponsorCentre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (other)
Locations1 site (Lausanne, Canton of Vaud)
Trial IDNCT06706375 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional trial compares an ultrasound-guided reversed dorsal penile nerve block (RUSDPNB) with the standard landmark-based dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) in males younger than 18 undergoing circumcision. Participants receive general anesthesia plus one of the two nerve block techniques before surgery. Investigators will record intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption, pain scores in the immediate postoperative period, and local complications such as hematoma or injection-related injury. The goal is to determine whether ultrasound guidance improves analgesia and lowers opioid requirements and complication rates versus the traditional technique.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Male patients under 18 scheduled for circumcision who can provide informed consent via a parent or guardian and who have no contraindication to local anesthesia or allergy to bupivacaine are eligible.

Not a fit: Patients with contraindications to local anesthesia, allergy to bupivacaine, chronic opioid treatment, or those having additional simultaneous surgeries are unlikely to benefit from this comparison.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the ultrasound-guided approach could reduce postoperative pain, lower opioid use, and decrease injection-related complications for boys undergoing circumcision.

How similar studies have performed: Prior pediatric studies of ultrasound-guided penile blocks have reported improved pain control and fewer local complications in some reports, but results across studies have been mixed and not uniformly conclusive.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* male
* undergoing circumcision
* informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* other surgery than circumcision in the same time
* contraindication to local anesthesia
* allergy to bupivacaine
* chronic opiates treatment

Where this trial is running

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud

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: Circumcision, Ultrasound, Opioid Consumption, Penile Surgery, circumcision, reversed ultrasound guided dorsal penile nerve block

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.