Laparoscopic AppendectomyNCT06945263

Comparing Pain Relief Between Two Methods of Freezing Injections in Children Having Their Appendix Removed

A study testing Rectus Sheath Block, Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site and Intravenous Dexamethasone in people with Laparoscopic Appendectomy, run by University of British Columbia at 1 site in Canada.

Enrolling by invitation

Enrolling by invitation. The study team selects and invites participants, usually from an existing group of patients.

Sites and contacts

Official record

Search all trials

Trial summary

Who is it for?: Ages 4 to 18 years
Conditions the study is for: Laparoscopic Appendectomy
What is being tested?: Rectus Sheath Block, Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site and Intravenous Dexamethasone
Type of treatment: Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 32 participants
Where: 1 siteCanada
Study dates: 1 May 2025to 27 Apr 2026
Phase: Interventional
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 4 to 18 years
All sexes
No healthy volunteers
Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

Age 4-18 years old
Diagnosed with acute appendicitis.
Undergoing a laparoscopic appendectomy

Who cannot join

Perforated/complicated appendicitis diagnosis
Previous abdominal surgery
Allergy to bupivacaine or dexamethasone
Severe developmental delay preventing patients from using pain scales or adequately communicating pain
Patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus
Patients with steroid dependence

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Canada1 site

British Columbia Children's Hospital
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3N1

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Rectus Sheath Block and Coadministration of Intravenous Dexamethasone for Analgesia After Pediatric Laparoscopic Appendectomy - A Pilot Study

Laparoscopic appendectomies are the most common emergency surgeries performed in children. Despite being considered minimally invasive surgeries, they can result in substantial postoperative pain and 2 of 3 patients require postoperative opioids. Increased postoperative pain can delay recovery, increase hospital admission time, lead to chronic pain, and cause patient distress. This study aims to reduce postoperative pain in this population by comparing the recovery outcomes associated with the administration of (1) an RSB with coadministration of IV dexamethasone as an LA adjunct (RSB+dex group) prior to the incision with (2) LA infiltration alone by the surgeon (LA group).

Conditions: Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Being tested: Rectus Sheath Block, Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site, Intravenous Dexamethasone, Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site
Keywords: Rectus Sheath Block, Dexamethasone, Laparoscopic Appendectomy, Analgesia, Anesthesia, Local Anesthetic
Medical subject headings: Agnosia

What participants receive

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

Rectus Sheath BlockProcedure or surgery
Bilateral rectus sheath blocks using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision.
Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port SiteDrug
0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000. Total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site.
Intravenous DexamethasoneDrug
Intravenous Dexamethasone delivered concurrent to the RSB. Total dose of 150 mcg/kg up to a maximum of 8 mg.
Local Anesthetic at the Incision SiteDrug
The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon up to a maximum of 10 mL.

Study groups in NCT06945263
Study group	Role	What they receive
Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone	Experimental	The rectus sheath block (RSB) is already current standard of care for laparoscopic appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. The RSB group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of local anesthetic, which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm will receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The anesthesia team will perform the bilateral RSBs using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision. The surgical team will then use the remaining 0.2 mL/kg to infiltrate the remaining port sites in RSB groups. Intravenous Dexamethasone will be administered concurrently. Receives: Procedure: Rectus Sheath Block; Drug: Intravenous Dexamethasone; Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site
Local Anesthetic	Active comparator	Local anesthetic at the incision site is also current standard of care for appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. This group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of LA which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm would receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The local anesthetic infiltration arm will receive the same local anesthetic as the rectus sheath block arm (0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000), injected by the surgeon. Surgeons can inject up to a total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site. The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon. Receives: Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site; Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Incision Site

What is being measured

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

Total opioid administration
Continuous variable measured by collecting and totaling all opioid (excluding remifentanil) administrations from intraoperative, anesthetic care unit (ACU), and ward records and converting to morphine milligram per kilogram equivalents.
Measured: From the start of surgery until up to 16 hours post-operatively.

Secondary outcomes (10)

Mean postoperative pain score at 12 hours
Discrete variable measured via age-appropriate visual analog scale (Faces Pain Scale-Revised) for participants who are younger than 12 years old. The Faces Pain Scale is on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: 12 hours postoperatively
Pain scores at 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively
Discrete variable measured via age-appropriate visual analog scale (FACES Pain Scale-Revised) for participants who are younger than 12 years old. The Faces Pain Scale is on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively.
Time spent performing rectus sheath block
Time performing the rectus sheath block in minutes as recorded by the anesthesiologist.
Measured: Intraoperatively.
Duration of anesthesia care unit (ACU) stay
Time between ACU admission and discharge.
Measured: Perioperatively.
Duration of post-procedural hospitalization
Duration from entering the operating room to hospital discharge in minutes.
Measured: Baseline (upon entering the operating room) to discharge from hospital, an average of 16 hours.
Parental perspective on patient postoperative pain
Parental assessment of patient postoperative pain using a numeric rating scale. The scale is from 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively
Non-prescription postoperative drugs
Which non-prescription drugs are administered post-operatively from the parent to the patient.
Measured: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively
Parental satisfaction with recovery
Discrete 5-point scale (very unsatisfied, unsatisfied, neutral, satisfied, very satisfied) measuring parental satisfaction with patient recovery. Very unsatisfied is the worse outcome, very satisfied is the best outcome.
Measured: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively.
Mean Postoperative Pain Score at 12 Hours
Discrete variable measured via age-appropriate scale (Numeric Rating Scale) for participants who are 12 years old or older. The numeric rating scale is from 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: 12 hours postoperatively
Pain scores at 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively
Discrete variable measured via age-appropriate scale (Numeric Rating Scale) for participants who are 12 years old or older. The numeric rating scale is from 0 to 10, where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively.

Timeline

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

1 May 202527 Apr 2026

First posted25 Apr 2025
Study start1 May 2025
Primary completion27 Apr 2026 (estimated)
Study completion27 Apr 2026 (estimated)

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Publications (17)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for Laparoscopic AppendectomyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by University of British ColumbiaThe 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: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Single blind
Who is masked: Care provider
Enrolment: 32 participants (estimated)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06945263
Sponsor's protocol ID: H23-03547
Other IDs: F23-05308
Status last verified: May 2025
First submitted: 3 Apr 2025
Last updated: 16 May 2025
Results posted: No
Data monitoring committee: No
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: No

Publications

Pearson AME, Roberts S, Turbitt LR. New blocks on the kids: core basic nerve blocks in paediatric anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2023 Jan;78(1):3-8. doi: 10.1111/anae.15876. Epub 2022 Oct 11. No abstract available.
PubMed 36220155
Shafy SZ, Miller R, Uffman JC, Tobias JD, Fetzer M, Nordin AB, Kenney B, Walia H, Veneziano G. An Enhanced Recovery Protocol that Facilitates Same-day Discharge for Simple Laparoscopic Appendectomies. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2019 Dec 5;4(6):e243. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000243. eCollection 2019 Nov-Dec.
PubMed 32010869
Gee K, Ngo S, Burkhalter L, Beres AL. Safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for uncomplicated appendicitis: A prospective cohort study. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 May;53(5):988-990. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2018.02.031. Epub 2018 Feb 9.
PubMed 29510871
Cairo SB, Raval MV, Browne M, Meyers H, Rothstein DH. Association of Same-Day Discharge With Hospital Readmission After Appendectomy in Pediatric Patients. JAMA Surg. 2017 Dec 1;152(12):1106-1112. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.2221.
PubMed 28678998
Alkhoury F, Burnweit C, Malvezzi L, Knight C, Diana J, Pasaron R, Mora J, Nazarey P, Aserlind A, Stylianos S. A prospective study of safety and satisfaction with same-day discharge after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2012 Feb;47(2):313-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.11.024.
PubMed 22325382
Cheng O, Cheng L, Burjonrappa S. Facilitating factors in same-day discharge after pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy. J Surg Res. 2018 Sep;229:145-149. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2018.03.072. Epub 2018 Apr 25.
PubMed 29936981
Pehora C, Pearson AM, Kaushal A, Crawford MW, Johnston B. Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Nov 9;11(11):CD011770. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011770.pub2.
PubMed 29121400
Edinoff AN, Houk GM, Patil S, Bangalore Siddaiah H, Kaye AJ, Iyengar PS, Cornett EM, Imani F, Mahmoudi K, Kaye AM, Urman RD, Kaye AD. Adjuvant Drugs for Peripheral Nerve Blocks: The Role of Alpha-2 Agonists, Dexamethasone, Midazolam, and Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Jul 4;11(3):e117197. doi: 10.5812/aapm.117197. eCollection 2021 Jun.
PubMed 34540647
Desai N, Albrecht E. Local anaesthetic adjuncts for peripheral nerve blockade. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2023 Oct 1;36(5):533-540. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001272. Epub 2023 Jun 14.
PubMed 37314172
Maloney C, Kallis M, El-Shafy IA, Lipskar AM, Hagen J, Kars M. Ultrasound-guided bilateral rectus sheath block vs. conventional local analgesia in single port laparoscopic appendectomy for children with nonperforated appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 Mar;53(3):431-436. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2017.05.027. Epub 2017 Jun 2.
PubMed 28610706
Hamill JK, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath block for laparoscopic appendicectomy: a randomized clinical trial. ANZ J Surg. 2015 Dec;85(12):951-6. doi: 10.1111/ans.12950. Epub 2015 Jan 12.
PubMed 25581711
Hamill JK, Rahiri JL, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath and transversus abdominis plane blocks in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Paediatr Anaesth. 2016 Apr;26(4):363-71. doi: 10.1111/pan.12855. Epub 2016 Feb 4.
PubMed 26846889
Russell P, von Ungern-Sternberg BS, Schug SA. Perioperative analgesia in pediatric surgery. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2013 Aug;26(4):420-7. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e3283625cc8.
PubMed 23756911
Bosenberg A. Benefits of regional anesthesia in children. Paediatr Anaesth. 2012 Jan;22(1):10-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2011.03691.x. Epub 2011 Sep 7. No abstract available.
PubMed 21895855
Yu TC, Hamill JK, Liley A, Hill AG. Warm, humidified carbon dioxide gas insufflation for laparoscopic appendicectomy in children: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg. 2013 Jan;257(1):44-53. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e31825f0721.
PubMed 22824858

Interested in taking part?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See sites and contacts

Not yet recruiting
Comparative Study Between Laparoscopic and Open Appendectomy of Complicated Appendicitis
Appendicitis, Perforated Appendicitis
Recruiting
Feasibility and Safety of a Pediatric ERAS Protocol for Laparoscopic Appendectomy
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Not yet recruitingPhase 3
Piperacillin/Tazobactam Versus Ceftriaxone and Metronidazole for Children With Perforated Appendicitis
Appendicitis Perforated, Appendectomy, Laparoscopic
Active, not recruitingObservational study
Retrospective Acute Care Appendectomy Study
Acute Appendicitis
Not yet recruiting
Immediate Laparoscopic Appendectomy Versus Interval Laparoscopic Appendectomy for Early Appendicular Mass
Appendicular Mass, Acute Appendicitis

All Laparoscopic Appendectomy trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Rectus Sheath Block and Coadministration of Intravenous Dexamethasone for Analgesia After Pediatric Laparoscopic Appendectomy - A Pilot Study
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06945263
Acronym / sponsor ID: H23-03547
Conditions: Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Keywords: Rectus Sheath Block, Dexamethasone, Laparoscopic Appendectomy, Analgesia, Anesthesia, Local Anesthetic
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Enrolling by invitation
Enrolment: 32 participants (estimated)
Lead sponsor: University of British ColumbiaUniversity, hospital or other
Collaborators: BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
Study start: 1 May 2025 (actual)
Primary completion: 27 Apr 2026 (estimated)
Study completion: 27 Apr 2026 (estimated)
First posted: 25 Apr 2025 (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.

Study design

Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Single blind (care provider)
Number of arms: 2

Arm	Type	Receives
Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone	Experimental	Procedure: Rectus Sheath Block, Drug: Intravenous Dexamethasone, Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Incision SiteThe rectus sheath block (RSB) is already current standard of care for laparoscopic appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. The RSB group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of local anesthetic, which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm will receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The anesthesia team will perform the bilateral RSBs using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision. The surgical team will then use the remaining 0.2 mL/kg to infiltrate the remaining port sites in RSB groups. Intravenous Dexamethasone will be administered concurrently.
Local Anesthetic	Active comparator	Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site, Drug: Local Anesthetic at the Incision SiteLocal anesthetic at the incision site is also current standard of care for appendectomy patients and is used by providers at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. This group will receive up to a maximum of 1 mL/kg total of LA which will ensure the total volume calculation for each arm would receive a bupivacaine dose at or below 2.5 mg/kg body weight. The local anesthetic infiltration arm will receive the same local anesthetic as the rectus sheath block arm (0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000), injected by the surgeon. Surgeons can inject up to a total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site. The remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon.

Who may qualify

Ages: 4 to 18 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted
Age groups: Child, Adult

Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)

Age 4-18 years old
Diagnosed with acute appendicitis.
Undergoing a laparoscopic appendectomy

Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)

Perforated/complicated appendicitis diagnosis
Previous abdominal surgery
Allergy to bupivacaine or dexamethasone
Severe developmental delay preventing patients from using pain scales or adequately communicating pain
Patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus

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
Rectus Sheath BlockBilateral rectus sheath blocks using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique with 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 at 0.8 mL/kg (half of total volume per side) up to a maximum of 20 mL prior to the incision.	Procedure or surgery	Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone
Local Anesthetic at the Umbilical Port Site0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000. Total dose of 0.8 mL/kg (maximum 20 mL) at the umbilical port site.	Drug	Local Anesthetic
Intravenous DexamethasoneIntravenous Dexamethasone delivered concurrent to the RSB. Total dose of 150 mcg/kg up to a maximum of 8 mg.	Drug	Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone
Local Anesthetic at the Incision SiteThe remaining volume of local anesthetic (0.2 mL/kg) can be infiltrated at each of the incision sites at the discretion of the surgeon up to a maximum of 10 mL.	Drug	Local Anesthetic, Rectus Sheath Block with Intravenous Dexamethasone

Primary outcome

Total opioid administration
Time frame: From the start of surgery until up to 16 hours post-operatively.
Continuous variable measured by collecting and totaling all opioid (excluding remifentanil) administrations from intraoperative, anesthetic care unit (ACU), and ward records and converting to morphine milligram per kilogram equivalents.

10 secondary outcomes

Mean postoperative pain score at 12 hours
Time frame: 12 hours postoperatively
Pain scores at 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively
Time frame: 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively.
Time spent performing rectus sheath block
Time frame: Intraoperatively.
Duration of anesthesia care unit (ACU) stay
Time frame: Perioperatively.
Duration of post-procedural hospitalization
Time frame: Baseline (upon entering the operating room) to discharge from hospital, an average of 16 hours.
Parental perspective on patient postoperative pain
Time frame: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively
Non-prescription postoperative drugs
Time frame: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively
Parental satisfaction with recovery
Time frame: 24 to 72 hours postoperatively.
Mean Postoperative Pain Score at 12 Hours
Time frame: 12 hours postoperatively
Pain scores at 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively
Time frame: 0 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours postoperatively.

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 16 May 2025.
Background: PubMed 36220155Pearson AME, Roberts S, Turbitt LR. New blocks on the kids: core basic nerve blocks in paediatric anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2023 Jan;78(1):3-8. doi: 10.1111/anae.15876. Epub 2022 Oct 11. No abstract available.
Background: PubMed 32010869Shafy SZ, Miller R, Uffman JC, Tobias JD, Fetzer M, Nordin AB, Kenney B, Walia H, Veneziano G. An Enhanced Recovery Protocol that Facilitates Same-day Discharge for Simple Laparoscopic Appendectomies. Pediatr Qual Saf. 2019 Dec 5;4(6):e243. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000243. eCollection 2019 Nov-Dec.
Background: PubMed 29510871Gee K, Ngo S, Burkhalter L, Beres AL. Safety and feasibility of same-day discharge for uncomplicated appendicitis: A prospective cohort study. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 May;53(5):988-990. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2018.02.031. Epub 2018 Feb 9.
Background: PubMed 28678998Cairo SB, Raval MV, Browne M, Meyers H, Rothstein DH. Association of Same-Day Discharge With Hospital Readmission After Appendectomy in Pediatric Patients. JAMA Surg. 2017 Dec 1;152(12):1106-1112. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.2221.
Background: PubMed 22325382Alkhoury F, Burnweit C, Malvezzi L, Knight C, Diana J, Pasaron R, Mora J, Nazarey P, Aserlind A, Stylianos S. A prospective study of safety and satisfaction with same-day discharge after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2012 Feb;47(2):313-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2011.11.024.
Background: PubMed 29936981Cheng O, Cheng L, Burjonrappa S. Facilitating factors in same-day discharge after pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy. J Surg Res. 2018 Sep;229:145-149. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2018.03.072. Epub 2018 Apr 25.
Background: PubMed 29121400Pehora C, Pearson AM, Kaushal A, Crawford MW, Johnston B. Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve block. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Nov 9;11(11):CD011770. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011770.pub2.
Background: PubMed 34540647Edinoff AN, Houk GM, Patil S, Bangalore Siddaiah H, Kaye AJ, Iyengar PS, Cornett EM, Imani F, Mahmoudi K, Kaye AM, Urman RD, Kaye AD. Adjuvant Drugs for Peripheral Nerve Blocks: The Role of Alpha-2 Agonists, Dexamethasone, Midazolam, and Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs. Anesth Pain Med. 2021 Jul 4;11(3):e117197. doi: 10.5812/aapm.117197. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Background: PubMed 37314172Desai N, Albrecht E. Local anaesthetic adjuncts for peripheral nerve blockade. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2023 Oct 1;36(5):533-540. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000001272. Epub 2023 Jun 14.
Background: PubMed 28610706Maloney C, Kallis M, El-Shafy IA, Lipskar AM, Hagen J, Kars M. Ultrasound-guided bilateral rectus sheath block vs. conventional local analgesia in single port laparoscopic appendectomy for children with nonperforated appendicitis. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 Mar;53(3):431-436. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2017.05.027. Epub 2017 Jun 2.
Background: PubMed 25581711Hamill JK, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath block for laparoscopic appendicectomy: a randomized clinical trial. ANZ J Surg. 2015 Dec;85(12):951-6. doi: 10.1111/ans.12950. Epub 2015 Jan 12.
Background: PubMed 26846889Hamill JK, Rahiri JL, Liley A, Hill AG. Rectus sheath and transversus abdominis plane blocks in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Paediatr Anaesth. 2016 Apr;26(4):363-71. doi: 10.1111/pan.12855. Epub 2016 Feb 4.
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.

Prakash Krishnan, MD principal investigator

University of British Columbia

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

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 3 inclusion and 6 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: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 May 2025. 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 Canada. 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?

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?

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?

Total opioid administration (time frame: From the start of surgery until up to 16 hours post-operatively.). 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 NCT06945263, which also lists 17 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 16 May 2025.