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Musculoskeletal Diseases or ConditionsNCT04370184

USG Imaging of Brachial Plexus Sheath & Its Fascial Compartments at Costoclavicular Space & Infraclavicular Fossa

An observational study of Musculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The existence of the brachial plexus sheath (BPS) and its septae and compartments has been a subject of debate and controversy. Numerous cadaver studies indicate that BPS is present while other researchers based on limited clinical data suggest none. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 70 years
Conditions the study is for
Musculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions
What is being tested?
Ultrasound guided Costoclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
How many people
100 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
1 Jun 2020to 31 Dec 2020
Phase
Observational
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 70 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: 100 adult patients who had undergone ultrasound guided costoclavicular brachial plexus block for surgical anesthesia during forearm or hand surgery over a 5 year period, from April 2013 to April 2018.

Who may be able to join

  • Archived high definition ultrasound images (datasets) as multiple short video loop (6 seconds) in avi format from 100 adult patients who had undergone ultrasound guided costoclavicular brachial plexus block for surgical anesthesia during forearm or hand surgery, over a 5 year period, from April 2013 to April 2018 will be retrieved for review.

Who cannot join

  • > 70 years old, BMI >30, ASA physical status > III, and with previous history surgery over the infraclavicular fossa

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Hong Kong1 site
  • Prince of Wales Hosptial

    Shatin, New Territories

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Official title: Ultrasound Imaging of the Brachial Plexus Sheath and Its Fascial Compartments at the Costoclavicular Space and Infraclavicular Fossa

The existence of the brachial plexus sheath (BPS) and its septae and compartments has been a subject of debate and controversy. Numerous cadaver studies indicate that BPS is present while other researchers based on limited clinical data suggest none. Nevertheless, cumulative evidence over the last six decades indicate that it is multi-layered, fibrous and a web-like connective tissue that is derived from the deep cervical fascia and fused with the deep fascia of the arm The BPS completely envelopes that neurovascular bundle and filed with loose connective tissue and fat. It is a multi-compartment structure in the axilla with each nerve having a separate compartment, that communicate with each other. Some studies suggested that the septae affect the spread of local anesthetic during an axillary or infraclavicular brachial plexus block, while some suggest the opposite. With the use of ultrasound imaging, researchers found the presence of this connective tissue septum within the BPS at the costoclavicular space and infraclavicular fossa. The septum is visualized as a linear hyperechoic band on ultrasound imaging and when present appears to reduce the spread of the drugs during brachial plexus block. Yet the anatomy is poorly seen with the previous generation of ultrasound imaging. The aim of this study is to define the connective tissue (fascial) layers that surround the brachial plexus and its septum at the infraclavicular fossa by reviewing our archived high definition ultrasound images of 100 patients who had successfully undergone the ultrasound guided brachial plexus block over a 5 year period (2013 to 2018).

Read the detailed description

This is a retrospective study reviewing archived high definition ultrasound images as multiple short video loops (6 seconds) in avi format from 100 adult patients who had undergone ultrasound guided costoclavicular brachial plexus block for surgical anesthesia for their upper limb surgery over a 5 year period, from April 2013 to April 2018 by three experienced anesthesiologists. Demographics data such as age, gender, body mass index, ASA Physical Classification System, local anesthetic drug used and mode of anesthesia can be retrieved from patients' record or Clinical Management System. No direct contact nor intervention will be done to the patients in this study, so waiver of patient informed consent has been sought. There will be no patients' data in any of the ultrasound images as the ultrasound video loops for the costoclavicular brachial plexus block are routinely saved anonymously for all patients. All information related to the patients will be kept confidential and they will not be identified in any form in future publications.

Being tested
Ultrasound guided Costoclavicular Brachial Plexus Block
Medical subject headings
Musculoskeletal Diseases

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Ultrasound guided Costoclavicular Brachial Plexus BlockProcedure or surgery

    Ultrasound images from patients scheduled for upper limb surgery under costoclavicular brachial plexus block (one kind of regional anesthesia) have been routinely collected at our institute. These images will be reviewed.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. ultrasound visibility of the anatomical structures around the neck

    Positive or negative ultrasound visibility (yes or no response) of a given anatomical structure (pectoralis major muscle, subclavius muscle, serratus anterior muscle, costoclavicular space, axillary artery, lateral, medial and posterior cords of the brachial plexus, brachial plexus space (BPS), septum within the BPS, and the anterior \& posterior compartment) will be agreed upon by consensus among the three outcome assessors. If a structure is visible the quality of ultrasound visibility will be assessed using a 4-point Likert scale (0=not visible, 1=hardly visible, 2=well visible, 3=very well visible). The total ultrasound visibility score (UVS, maximum score possible is 36 at the costoclavicular space and 33 at the lateral infraclavicular fossa will thereby computed.

    Measured: 1 day (will be reviewed once)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 Apr 2020
  2. Study start1 Jun 2020
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2020
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case only
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrolment
100 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04370184
Sponsor's protocol ID
HD BPS Protocol Version 1
Status last verified
Jan 2021
First submitted
29 Apr 2020
Last updated
27 Jan 2021
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Areeruk P, Karmakar MK, Reina MA, Mok LYH, Sivakumar RK, Sala-Blanch X. High-definition ultrasound imaging defines the paraneural sheath and fascial compartments surrounding the cords of the brachial plexus at the costoclavicular space and lateral infraclavicular fossa. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Jun;46(6):500-506. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2020-102304. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

    PubMed 33811182

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Musculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

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 1 inclusion and 1 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Jan 2021. 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 Hong Kong. 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 is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

ultrasound visibility of the anatomical structures around the neck (time frame: 1 day (will be reviewed once)). 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 NCT04370184, which also lists 1 linked publication.

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 27 Jan 2021; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.

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