AnesthesiaNCT01605929
Clinical Evaluation of the Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
A study testing Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion in people with Anesthesia and Upper Extremity Injury, run by Brigham and Women's Hospital at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this prospective, descriptive study is to evaluate the success rate of the retroclavicular brachial plexus block and catheter placement in 60 adult patients undergoing hand, wrist, or forearm surgery. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 100 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Anesthesia, Upper Extremity Injury
- What is being tested?
- Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 0 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jul 2012to Sep 2013
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 100 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- undergoing surgery of hand, wrist or forearm
- American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of I-II
- age greater than 18 years
- ability to provide written informed consent
Who cannot join
- clinically significant coagulopathy
- infection at the injection site
- abnormal anatomy at the block site
- allergy to amide anesthetics
- severe pulmonary pathology
- pre-existing motor or sensory deficits in the operative limb
- pregnancy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
About this study
The primary objective of this prospective, descriptive study is to evaluate the success rate of the retroclavicular brachial plexus block and catheter placement in 60 adult patients undergoing hand, wrist, or forearm surgery. The investigators will also evaluate any difficulties performing the procedure, the onset time and distribution of the block, incidence of adverse events, and patient's acceptance of the block.
Read the detailed description
Nerve blocks are used by anesthesiologists as methods of pain control or to allow for painless surgery on a limb, rendering a general anesthetic for surgery unnecessary. Local anesthetic medication is injected through a needle next to a nerve, often using an ultrasound machine to visualize both the needle and nerve simultaneously. A catheter, a small plastic tube, can be inserted next to the nerve in order to provide pain relief for hours or days after surgery.
The nerves that provide sensation to the forearm, wrist and hand are the radial, median, ulnar, musculocutaneous and medial nerve of the forearm. These nerves originate from a network of nerve fibers that exit the spinal cord at the level of the neck. They are tightly bundled together, forming the brachial plexus, from the neck to just above the axilla, providing the anesthesiologist with many locations to perform a nerve block. One such block, known as the infraclavicular block, approaches the nerves just beneath the clavicle and has been performed for decades.
This study aims to examine a new technique to block the brachial plexus, performed at a similar level as the infraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block. The ultrasound-guided retroclavicular brachial plexus block has the potential advantages of being easier to perform, more successful, less painful for the patient, and a better pathway for catheter placement. It differs from the infraclavicular nerve block in that the needle is inserted above the clavicle rather than below it. In addition, it will allow the anesthesiologist to have another approach to the brachial plexus, which can be utilized if patients cannot have an infraclavicular block or any other brachial plexus block due to anatomical changes, or infection at the sight.
The retroclavicular brachial plexus block was first used in two patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital in whom the infraclavicular approach was contraindicated due to anatomical changes after surgery or trauma. This procedure has been found to be a reliable way to perform a brachial plexus nerve block and has become a routine procedure at Brigham and Women's Hospital for hand or forearm surgery over the past three years.
In reviewing the literature, a similar procedure was introduced by Hebbard and Royse in 2007, but no patient data was reported. By assessing the procedure in a prospective study, the investigators will be able to describe the technique, the success rate and any complications in the literature to allow other anesthesiologists to potentially incorporate this block into their repertoire.
- Conditions
- Anesthesia, Upper Extremity Injury
- Being tested
- Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion
- Keywords
- Anesthetics, local/administration & dosage, Brachial Plexus/ultrasonography, Humans, Nerve Block/methods, Upper Extremity/surgery, Catheters, Indwelling, Anesthesia, Conduction/methods, Analgesia/methods, Nerve Block/adverse effects
- Medical subject headings
- Arm Injuries, Agnosia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter InsertionProcedure or surgery
Also called Carbocaine
A Sonosite ultrasound machine will be used to visualize the nerve and needle simultaneously. A Braun 18 g 4 inch Touhy needle with markings will be inserted into the skin and advanced toward the nerve. Once the optimal location is determined under ultrasound visualization, the local anesthetic, mepivacaine, will be injected beside the nerves. The dose of drug will be mepivacaine 1.5%, 0.5 cc/kg (with a minimum 30 cc and maximum of 50 cc.) A Braun 20 g closed tip polyamide catheter will be inserted next to the nerve and left in place to allow for additional medication to be given postoperatively.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Success Rate
Success rate will be defined as the number of patients with anesthesia or analgesia in all five nerves below the elbow (median, ulnar, radial, musculocutaneous, median nerve of the forearm).
Measured: 20 minutes after nerve block completed
Secondary outcomes (3)
Motor Function
Strength of muscles innervated by radial, median, ulnar, musculocutaneous, and axillary nerves
Measured: 20 minutes after nerve block completed
Complication of Procedure
Pneumothorax, Horner's syndrome, Symptomatic phrenic nerve palsy, Local anesthesia toxicity, block failure, catheter dislodgement.
Measured: From nerve block completion to patient's arrival in PACU, with an expected average duration of 3 hours
Followup of Block Resolution
Pain/Bruising/Infection at injection site, Unresolved paresthesias/weakness of operative arm, Preferences for Future Surgery
Measured: 48-96 hours post Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 May 2012 (estimated)
- Study startJul 2012
- Primary completionSep 2013 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2013 (estimated)
Why it stopped: withdrawn before IRB approval
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AnesthesiaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Brigham and Women's HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kamen Vlassakov, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Investigators
- Kamen Vlassakov, MD, Principal investigator, Brigham and Women's Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01605929
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2012P000874
- Status last verified
- Dec 2015
- First submitted
- 16 May 2012
- Last updated
- 7 Dec 2015
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Vlassakov K, Janfaza D. Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Approach to the Brachial Plexus Cords. Abstract, 33rd Annual Regional Anesthesia Meeting and Workshops, 2008.
Vlassakov K, Brooks M, Islami-Manuchehry A, and Janfaza D. Our First Experience with the Novel Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Block of the Brachial Plexus Cords in Patients with Normal Anatomy, Abstract, 34th Annual Regional Anesthesia Meeting and Workshops, 2009.
Hebbard P, Royse C. Ultrasound guided posterior approach to the infraclavicular brachial plexus. Anaesthesia. 2007 May;62(5):539. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2007.05066.x. No abstract available.
PubMed 17448088
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Dec 2015. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Clinical Evaluation of the Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01605929
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2012P000874
- Conditions
- Anesthesia, Upper Extremity Injury
- Keywords
- Anesthetics, local/administration & dosage, Brachial Plexus/ultrasonography, Humans, Nerve Block/methods, Upper Extremity/surgery, Catheters, Indwelling, Anesthesia, Conduction/methods, Analgesia/methods
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- WithdrawnReason stopped: withdrawn before IRB approval
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Brigham and Women's HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jul 2012
- Primary completion
- Sep 2013 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2013 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 May 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this prospective, descriptive study is to evaluate the success rate of the retroclavicular brachial plexus block and catheter placement in 60 adult patients undergoing hand, wrist, or forearm surgery. The investigators will also evaluate any difficulties performing the procedure, the onset time and distribution of the block, incidence of adverse events, and patient's acceptance of the block.
Detailed description
Nerve blocks are used by anesthesiologists as methods of pain control or to allow for painless surgery on a limb, rendering a general anesthetic for surgery unnecessary. Local anesthetic medication is injected through a needle next to a nerve, often using an ultrasound machine to visualize both the needle and nerve simultaneously. A catheter, a small plastic tube, can be inserted next to the nerve in order to provide pain relief for hours or days after surgery.
The nerves that provide sensation to the forearm, wrist and hand are the radial, median, ulnar, musculocutaneous and medial nerve of the forearm. These nerves originate from a network of nerve fibers that exit the spinal cord at the level of the neck. They are tightly bundled together, forming the brachial plexus, from the neck to just above the axilla, providing the anesthesiologist with many locations to perform a nerve block. One such block, known as the infraclavicular block, approaches the nerves just beneath the clavicle and has been performed for decades.
This study aims to examine a new technique to block the brachial plexus, performed at a similar level as the infraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block. The ultrasound-guided retroclavicular brachial plexus block has the potential advantages of being easier to perform, more successful, less painful for the patient, and a better pathway for catheter placement. It differs from the infraclavicular nerve block in that the needle is inserted above the clavicle rather than below it. In addition, it will allow the anesthesiologist to have another approach to the brachial plexus, which can be utilized if patients cannot have an infraclavicular block or any other brachial plexus block due to anatomical changes, or infection at the sight.
The retroclavicular brachial plexus block was first used in two patients at Brigham and Women's Hospital in whom the infraclavicular approach was contraindicated due to anatomical changes after surgery or trauma. This procedure has been found to be a reliable way to perform a brachial plexus nerve block and has become a routine procedure at Brigham and Women's Hospital for hand or forearm surgery over the past three years.
In reviewing the literature, a similar procedure was introduced by Hebbard and Royse in 2007, but no patient data was reported. By assessing the procedure in a prospective study, the investigators will be able to describe the technique, the success rate and any complications in the literature to allow other anesthesiologists to potentially incorporate this block into their repertoire.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block | Experimental | Procedure: Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 100 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- undergoing surgery of hand, wrist or forearm
- American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of I-II
- age greater than 18 years
- ability to provide written informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- clinically significant coagulopathy
- infection at the injection site
- abnormal anatomy at the block site
- allergy to amide anesthetics
- severe pulmonary pathology
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter InsertionAlso: CarbocaineA Sonosite ultrasound machine will be used to visualize the nerve and needle simultaneously. A Braun 18 g 4 inch Touhy needle with markings will be inserted into the skin and advanced toward the nerve. Once the optimal location is determined under ultrasound visualization, the local anesthetic, mepivacaine, will be injected beside the nerves. The dose of drug will be mepivacaine 1.5%, 0.5 cc/kg (with a minimum 30 cc and maximum of 50 cc.) A Braun 20 g closed tip polyamide catheter will be inserted next to the nerve and left in place to allow for additional medication to be given postoperatively. | Procedure or surgery | Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block |
Primary outcome
Success Rate
Time frame: 20 minutes after nerve block completed
Success rate will be defined as the number of patients with anesthesia or analgesia in all five nerves below the elbow (median, ulnar, radial, musculocutaneous, median nerve of the forearm).
3 secondary outcomes
Motor Function
Time frame: 20 minutes after nerve block completed
Complication of Procedure
Time frame: From nerve block completion to patient's arrival in PACU, with an expected average duration of 3 hours
Followup of Block Resolution
Time frame: 48-96 hours post Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
Results and safety
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Dec 2015.
- BackgroundVlassakov K, Janfaza D. Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Approach to the Brachial Plexus Cords. Abstract, 33rd Annual Regional Anesthesia Meeting and Workshops, 2008.
- BackgroundVlassakov K, Brooks M, Islami-Manuchehry A, and Janfaza D. Our First Experience with the Novel Ultrasound-Guided Retroclavicular Block of the Brachial Plexus Cords in Patients with Normal Anatomy, Abstract, 34th Annual Regional Anesthesia Meeting and Workshops, 2009.
- Background: PubMed 17448088Hebbard P, Royse C. Ultrasound guided posterior approach to the infraclavicular brachial plexus. Anaesthesia. 2007 May;62(5):539. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2007.05066.x. No abstract available.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Kamen Vlassakov, MD principal investigator
Brigham and Women's Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Retroclavicular Brachial Plexus Block and Catheter Insertion in people with Anesthesia and Upper Extremity Injury, run by Brigham and Women's Hospital at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: withdrawn, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Dec 2015. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Success Rate (time frame: 20 minutes after nerve block completed). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01605929, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Dec 2015; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.