Pain, PostoperativePhase 4NCT03737292
Liposomal Bupivacaine Versus Plain Bupivacaine After Intercostal Injections For Pain Management After Thoracoscopy
A Phase 4 study testing Exparel and Bupivacaine in people with Pain, Postoperative and Pharmacokinetics, run by Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to assess pharmacokinetics of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) after multilevel intercostal injections of this local anesthetic for pain control during and after thoracoscopic surgeries. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Pain, Postoperative, Pharmacokinetics
- What is being tested?
- Exparel and Bupivacaine
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 9 Apr 2019to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 1. Male or female patients over age 18 undergoing minimally invasive thoracic surgeries including but not limited to:
- VATS wedge resection /segmentectomy
- VATS lobectomy.
- Robot assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection/segmentectomy.
- Robot assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy procedures.
Who cannot join
- Patients under18 years of age
- Patients weighing less than 48 kg
- Pregnant and lactating females will be excluded from the trial
- Patients preoperatively taking narcotics for chronic pain in proximity to surgical site
- Patients with previous ipsilateral thoracic surgery
- Patients undergoing pleurectomy/mechanical pleurodesis.
Show all 14Show fewer
- Patients with high likelihood of conversion from thoracoscopic procedure to open thoracotomy as determined by an operating surgeon
- Patients with pre-existing painful conditions (CRIPS, fibromyalgia, neuropathy)
- Patients unable to reliably communicate pain scores such as patients with dementia, alterations in mental status
- Patients with hypersensitivity to local anesthetics and pain medications used in the study
- Patients with previous thoracic spine surgeries
- Patients with increased creatinine (over 1.5mg/dl)
- Patients with liver dysfunction
- Non-English speaking patients
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033
Zoulfira Nisnevitch-Savarese, MD, 7175310003 ext. 282584, znisnevitchsavarese@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
Ruth Jarbadan, BS, 717-531-6135, njarbadan@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
About this study
Official title: Comparison of Plasma Concentration And Efficacy Of Liposomal Bupivacaine And Plain Bupivacaine After Intercostal Injections For Pain Management After Thoracoscopy
The purpose of this study is to assess pharmacokinetics of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) after multilevel intercostal injections of this local anesthetic for pain control during and after thoracoscopic surgeries.
The specific aim of this study is to evaluate plasma concentration of bupivacaine after intraoperative intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine and compare it to plasma concentrations of bupivacaine after intercostal injections of 2mg/kg of 0.5% plain Bupivacaine with maximal dose of 30 ml or 150 mg.
Read more
The hypothesis of the study is that plasma concentration of bupivacaine after intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine will be similar to concentrations after injections of plain bupivacaine, and will remain below the toxic level threshold range of 2000-3000 ng/mL (2-3 mg/L) at which central nervous system and cardiovascular adverse events would be expected to occur.
The secondary objective is to evaluate if intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine will significantly reduce opioid consumption and postsurgical pain, within the first 48 hours and up to 3 months after minimally invasive thoracic surgeries, to determine if both acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain can be decreased by intraoperative intercostal injections of liposomal bupivacaine.
Additionally, the rate of pneumonia, the rate of atrial fibrillation and length of hospital stay will be assessed as secondary outcomes after thoracic surgeries. These outcomes can be affected by the level of postoperative pain and inflammation.
Significance of this study: If positive, the results of this research have the potential to significantly improve pain management after thoracoscopic surgery.
Based on prior experience, prolonged analgesia after liposomal bupivacaine injection is safe, and may help reduce perioperative opioid consumption and decrease opioid related complications. It will improve patient comfort, eliminate need for indwelling neuraxial catheters and risks associated with them.
Read the detailed description
Liposomal bupivacaine is a relatively new drug formulation. Its safety and side effect profile after intercostal injection has not been extensively studied. Most of the data comes from studies where the medicine was used for wound infiltrations and peripheral nerve blocks for orthopedic surgeries, or from preclinical volunteer studies. PK profile of Exparel varies significantly with different blocks and administration techniques. Very few data are available about pharmacokinetics of the drug after intercostal injections.
Because Exparel contains plain bupivacaine in a liposomal form, it allows for a slower release of the medication from the injection site into the blood stream, and prolongs the duration of action of this local anesthetic. During intercostal infiltration, a local anesthetic is injected into a highly vascular area with increased rate of intravascular absorption and potential risk of toxicity.
Also, because liposomal formulation provides a slow release of local anesthetic, the maximum recommended dose of Exparel (266mg) for intercostal injections is higher than a maximum recommended dose for plain bupivacaine (150mg), which can theoretically increase the risk of local anesthetic toxicity.
The plan of this s to analyze a pharmacokinetic profile and safety of liposomal bupivacaine compared with plain bupivacaine HCl. it is understood that absolute numbers can differ because the doses of the two formulations are different. Unfortunately, the dose of plain bupivacaine cannot be increased to match the dose of Exparel because of the risk of toxicity. The dose of Exparel should not be lowered, because lower doses have been shown to be less effective and are not clinically used at Hershey Medical Center.
Based on prior experience, it is known that prolonged analgesia after Exparel injection is safe, and can help reduce perioperative opioid consumption and decrease opioid related complications.
The goal of this study is to demonstrate that despite the higher total dose of bupivacaine administered via Exparel formulation as an intercostal injection, maximal plasma concentration will remain within therapeutic levels of 700-1,000 ng/mL, and below toxic level threshold range of 2000-3000 ng/mL at which central nervous system and cardiovascular adverse events would be expected to occur. As a result, many more patients in the future can benefit from a wider use of Exparel for pain management after thoracic surgeries.
Pneumonia and atrial fibrillation are well known complications of thoracic surgeries. The etiology of atrial fibrillation after lung resection involves a combination of postoperative hyperadrenergic activity and atrial dilatation. Increased vagal tone, atrial inflammation, pulmonary hypertension, hypoxemia, or infection may also contribute. Preclinical studies have shown a multitude of interactions between local anesthetics and the inflammatory system. It is known that proinflammatory effects are attenuated by perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion via blocking the process of priming of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN). Since pneumonia and atrial fibrillation after thoracic surgery can be attributed in part to inflammation, the hypothesis is that liposomal bupivacaine, due to higher concentration and longer duration of action, can decrease incidence of these complications and improve hospital length of stay.
- Conditions
- Pain, Postoperative, Pharmacokinetics
- Being tested
- Exparel, Bupivacaine
- Medical subject headings
- Pain, Postoperative
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ExparelDrug
The intercostal blocks will be performed at several levels corresponding to the incisions and chest tube insertion sites + two levels above and two levels below the incisions. On average, 5-6 intercostal spaces will be injected with 4-5 ml of local anesthetic at each level.
BupivacaineDrug
The intercostal injections of 0.5% Bupivacaine 2 mg/kg dose diluted to 30 ml total will be performed at several levels corresponding to the incisions and chest tube insertion sites + two levels above and two levels below the incisions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exparel | Experimental | Intercostal injection of 266mg of Exparel diluted to 30 ml. Receives: Drug: Exparel |
| Bupivacaine | Active comparator | Intercostal injection of 0.5% Bupivacaine 2 mg/kg dose diluted to 30 ml. Receives: Drug: Bupivacaine |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Plasma concentration of bupivacaine
The primary end points to be measured in the study are plasma concentrations of bupivacaine 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48 hours after intraoperative multiple level intercostal injections of plain Bupivacaine or Exparel. If the patient remains in the hospital, additional samples will be collected at 72 hours. If the patient gets discharged before this time, the last sample will be drawn at time of discharge from the hospital.
Measured: 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48, 72 hours after intraoperative multiple level intercostal injections.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Nov 2018
- Study start9 Apr 2019
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Pain, PostoperativeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterThe 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 4
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This is a prospective randomized controlled, double blind study.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Zoulfira Nisnevitch-Savarese, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
- Investigators
- Zoulfira Nisnevitch-Savarese, MD, Principal investigator, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03737292
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 10129
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Nov 2018
- Last updated
- 12 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Scott DB. Evaluation of the toxicity of local anaesthetic agents in man. Br J Anaesth. 1975 Jan;47(1):56-61. doi: 10.1093/bja/47.1.56.
PubMed 1096908Richard BM, Rickert DE, Doolittle D, Mize A, Liu J, Lawson CF. Pharmacokinetic Compatibility Study of Lidocaine with EXPAREL in Yucatan Miniature Pigs. ISRN Pharm. 2011;2011:582351. doi: 10.5402/2011/582351. Epub 2011 Dec 27.
PubMed 22389853Scott DB, Lee A, Fagan D, Bowler GM, Bloomfield P, Lundh R. Acute toxicity of ropivacaine compared with that of bupivacaine. Anesth Analg. 1989 Nov;69(5):563-9.
PubMed 2679230Knudsen K, Beckman Suurkula M, Blomberg S, Sjovall J, Edvardsson N. Central nervous and cardiovascular effects of i.v. infusions of ropivacaine, bupivacaine and placebo in volunteers. Br J Anaesth. 1997 May;78(5):507-14. doi: 10.1093/bja/78.5.507.
PubMed 9175963Neal JM, Barrington MJ, Fettiplace MR, Gitman M, Memtsoudis SG, Morwald EE, Rubin DS, Weinberg G. The Third American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Practice Advisory on Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity: Executive Summary 2017. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-123. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000720.
PubMed 29356773Khalil KG, Boutrous ML, Irani AD, Miller CC 3rd, Pawelek TR, Estrera AL, Safi HJ. Operative Intercostal Nerve Blocks With Long-Acting Bupivacaine Liposome for Pain Control After Thoracotomy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Dec;100(6):2013-8. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2015.08.017. Epub 2015 Oct 24.
PubMed 26507422Rice DC, Cata JP, Mena GE, Rodriguez-Restrepo A, Correa AM, Mehran RJ. Posterior Intercostal Nerve Block With Liposomal Bupivacaine: An Alternative to Thoracic Epidural Analgesia. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Jun;99(6):1953-60. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2015.02.074. Epub 2015 Apr 23.
PubMed 25912739
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparison of Plasma Concentration And Efficacy Of Liposomal Bupivacaine And Plain Bupivacaine After Intercostal Injections For Pain Management After Thoracoscopy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03737292
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 10129
- Conditions
- Pain, Postoperative, Pharmacokinetics
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 9 Apr 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Nov 2018 (actual)
- 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 purpose of this study is to assess pharmacokinetics of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) after multilevel intercostal injections of this local anesthetic for pain control during and after thoracoscopic surgeries.
The specific aim of this study is to evaluate plasma concentration of bupivacaine after intraoperative intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine and compare it to plasma concentrations of bupivacaine after intercostal injections of 2mg/kg of 0.5% plain Bupivacaine with maximal dose of 30 ml or 150 mg.
The hypothesis of the study is that plasma concentration of bupivacaine after intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine will be similar to concentrations after injections of plain bupivacaine, and will remain below the toxic level threshold range of 2000-3000 ng/mL (2-3 mg/L) at which central nervous system and cardiovascular adverse events would be expected to occur.
The secondary objective is to evaluate if intercostal injections of 266 mg of liposomal bupivacaine will significantly reduce opioid consumption and postsurgical pain, within the first 48 hours and up to 3 months after minimally invasive thoracic surgeries, to determine if both acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain can be decreased by intraoperative intercostal injections of liposomal bupivacaine.
Additionally, the rate of pneumonia, the rate of atrial fibrillation and length of hospital stay will be assessed as secondary outcomes after thoracic surgeries. These outcomes can be affected by the level of postoperative pain and inflammation.
Significance of this study: If positive, the results of this research have the potential to significantly improve pain management after thoracoscopic surgery.
Based on prior experience, prolonged analgesia after liposomal bupivacaine injection is safe, and may help reduce perioperative opioid consumption and decrease opioid related complications. It will improve patient comfort, eliminate need for indwelling neuraxial catheters and risks associated with them.
Detailed description
Liposomal bupivacaine is a relatively new drug formulation. Its safety and side effect profile after intercostal injection has not been extensively studied. Most of the data comes from studies where the medicine was used for wound infiltrations and peripheral nerve blocks for orthopedic surgeries, or from preclinical volunteer studies. PK profile of Exparel varies significantly with different blocks and administration techniques. Very few data are available about pharmacokinetics of the drug after intercostal injections.
Because Exparel contains plain bupivacaine in a liposomal form, it allows for a slower release of the medication from the injection site into the blood stream, and prolongs the duration of action of this local anesthetic. During intercostal infiltration, a local anesthetic is injected into a highly vascular area with increased rate of intravascular absorption and potential risk of toxicity.
Also, because liposomal formulation provides a slow release of local anesthetic, the maximum recommended dose of Exparel (266mg) for intercostal injections is higher than a maximum recommended dose for plain bupivacaine (150mg), which can theoretically increase the risk of local anesthetic toxicity.
The plan of this s to analyze a pharmacokinetic profile and safety of liposomal bupivacaine compared with plain bupivacaine HCl. it is understood that absolute numbers can differ because the doses of the two formulations are different. Unfortunately, the dose of plain bupivacaine cannot be increased to match the dose of Exparel because of the risk of toxicity. The dose of Exparel should not be lowered, because lower doses have been shown to be less effective and are not clinically used at Hershey Medical Center.
Based on prior experience, it is known that prolonged analgesia after Exparel injection is safe, and can help reduce perioperative opioid consumption and decrease opioid related complications.
The goal of this study is to demonstrate that despite the higher total dose of bupivacaine administered via Exparel formulation as an intercostal injection, maximal plasma concentration will remain within therapeutic levels of 700-1,000 ng/mL, and below toxic level threshold range of 2000-3000 ng/mL at which central nervous system and cardiovascular adverse events would be expected to occur. As a result, many more patients in the future can benefit from a wider use of Exparel for pain management after thoracic surgeries.
Pneumonia and atrial fibrillation are well known complications of thoracic surgeries. The etiology of atrial fibrillation after lung resection involves a combination of postoperative hyperadrenergic activity and atrial dilatation. Increased vagal tone, atrial inflammation, pulmonary hypertension, hypoxemia, or infection may also contribute. Preclinical studies have shown a multitude of interactions between local anesthetics and the inflammatory system. It is known that proinflammatory effects are attenuated by perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion via blocking the process of priming of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN). Since pneumonia and atrial fibrillation after thoracic surgery can be attributed in part to inflammation, the hypothesis is that liposomal bupivacaine, due to higher concentration and longer duration of action, can decrease incidence of these complications and improve hospital length of stay.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This is a prospective randomized controlled, double blind study.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exparel | Experimental | Drug: ExparelIntercostal injection of 266mg of Exparel diluted to 30 ml. |
| Bupivacaine | Active comparator | Drug: BupivacaineIntercostal injection of 0.5% Bupivacaine 2 mg/kg dose diluted to 30 ml. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 1. Male or female patients over age 18 undergoing minimally invasive thoracic surgeries including but not limited to:
- VATS wedge resection /segmentectomy
- VATS lobectomy.
- Robot assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection/segmentectomy.
- Robot assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy procedures.
Key exclusion criteria (14 listed)
- Patients under18 years of age
- Patients weighing less than 48 kg
- Pregnant and lactating females will be excluded from the trial
- Patients preoperatively taking narcotics for chronic pain in proximity to surgical site
- Patients with previous ipsilateral thoracic surgery
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ExparelThe intercostal blocks will be performed at several levels corresponding to the incisions and chest tube insertion sites + two levels above and two levels below the incisions. On average, 5-6 intercostal spaces will be injected with 4-5 ml of local anesthetic at each level. | Drug | Exparel |
| BupivacaineThe intercostal injections of 0.5% Bupivacaine 2 mg/kg dose diluted to 30 ml total will be performed at several levels corresponding to the incisions and chest tube insertion sites + two levels above and two levels below the incisions. | Drug | Bupivacaine |
Primary outcome
Plasma concentration of bupivacaine
Time frame: 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48, 72 hours after intraoperative multiple level intercostal injections.
The primary end points to be measured in the study are plasma concentrations of bupivacaine 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48 hours after intraoperative multiple level intercostal injections of plain Bupivacaine or Exparel. If the patient remains in the hospital, additional samples will be collected at 72 hours. If the patient gets discharged before this time, the last sample will be drawn at time of discharge from the hospital.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Jun 2026.
- Background: PubMed 1096908Scott DB. Evaluation of the toxicity of local anaesthetic agents in man. Br J Anaesth. 1975 Jan;47(1):56-61. doi: 10.1093/bja/47.1.56.
- Background: PubMed 22389853Richard BM, Rickert DE, Doolittle D, Mize A, Liu J, Lawson CF. Pharmacokinetic Compatibility Study of Lidocaine with EXPAREL in Yucatan Miniature Pigs. ISRN Pharm. 2011;2011:582351. doi: 10.5402/2011/582351. Epub 2011 Dec 27.
- Background: PubMed 2679230Scott DB, Lee A, Fagan D, Bowler GM, Bloomfield P, Lundh R. Acute toxicity of ropivacaine compared with that of bupivacaine. Anesth Analg. 1989 Nov;69(5):563-9.
- Background: PubMed 9175963Knudsen K, Beckman Suurkula M, Blomberg S, Sjovall J, Edvardsson N. Central nervous and cardiovascular effects of i.v. infusions of ropivacaine, bupivacaine and placebo in volunteers. Br J Anaesth. 1997 May;78(5):507-14. doi: 10.1093/bja/78.5.507.
- Background: PubMed 29356773Neal JM, Barrington MJ, Fettiplace MR, Gitman M, Memtsoudis SG, Morwald EE, Rubin DS, Weinberg G. The Third American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Practice Advisory on Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity: Executive Summary 2017. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Feb;43(2):113-123. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000720.
- Background: PubMed 26507422Khalil KG, Boutrous ML, Irani AD, Miller CC 3rd, Pawelek TR, Estrera AL, Safi HJ. Operative Intercostal Nerve Blocks With Long-Acting Bupivacaine Liposome for Pain Control After Thoracotomy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Dec;100(6):2013-8. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2015.08.017. Epub 2015 Oct 24.
- Background: PubMed 25912739Rice DC, Cata JP, Mena GE, Rodriguez-Restrepo A, Correa AM, Mehran RJ. Posterior Intercostal Nerve Block With Liposomal Bupivacaine: An Alternative to Thoracic Epidural Analgesia. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Jun;99(6):1953-60. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2015.02.074. Epub 2015 Apr 23.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Zoulfira Nisnevitch-Savarese, MD principal investigator
Penn State Hershey College of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Exparel and Bupivacaine in people with Pain, Postoperative and Pharmacokinetics, run by Milton S. Hershey Medical Center 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 5 inclusion and 14 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Jun 2026. 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.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Zoulfira Nisnevitch-Savarese, MD (717-531-4264, znisnevitchsavarese@pennstatehealth.psu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Plasma concentration of bupivacaine (time frame: 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 32, 48, 72 hours after intraoperative multiple level intercostal injections.). 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 NCT03737292, which also lists 7 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 12 Jun 2026.