External Oblique Intercostal Plane BlockNCT07617545
External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Versus Erector Spinae Plane Block in Paediatric Upper Abdominal Surgeries
A study testing External oblique intercostal plane block and Erector spinae plane block in people with External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block and Erector Spinae Plane Block, run by Alexandria University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study aims to compare between ultrasound guided external oblique intercostal plane block and ultrasound guided erector spinae plane block in paediatric upper abdominal surgeries. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- Conditions the study is for
- External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block, Erector Spinae Plane Block, Pediatric
- What is being tested?
- External oblique intercostal plane block and Erector spinae plane block
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 1 May 2025to 1 Oct 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 6 to 12 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Children aged between 6 and 12 years of both sex.
- Patients with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I/II.
- Patients undergoing upper abdominal surgeries involving upper abdominal incisions.
Who cannot join
- Guardian refusal.
- Allergy to local anesthetics.
- Surgical procedures exceeding 3 hours.
- Infection at the area planned for the block injection.
- Prolonged opioid medication.
- Patients preoperatively medicated by Beta blockers
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Egypt1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Alexandria University
Alexandria, 21526
Belal M Hassan, MBBCH, 00201091397908, Belal.bakr1420@alexmed.edu.eg
Wafaa M Shafshak, MD
About this study
Official title: Ultrasound Guided External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Versus Erector Spinae Plane Block in Paediatric Upper Abdominal Surgeries
This study aims to compare between ultrasound guided external oblique intercostal plane block and ultrasound guided erector spinae plane block in paediatric upper abdominal surgeries.
Read the detailed description
Paediatric nerve blocks are increasingly recognized as new standard for managing pain in children. The advantages of regional anesthesia in this population include enhanced operating conditions, expedited recovery of bowel function, and reduced postoperative pain.
The caudal epidural block remains the most used method; however, the external oblique intercostal block, a novel technique involves administering local anesthesia deep to the external oblique muscle at the sixth intercostal space, thereby blocking thoracoabdominal nerves from T6 to T10. This technique offers several advantages, including straightforward anatomy, a single muscle strip that is easily identifiable even in obese patients, a bony backstop, and an easily expandable fascial plane that can accommodate a catheter.
The erector spinae plane block involves injecting local anesthetic into the fascial plane beneath the erector spinae muscle at the tip of the vertebral transverse process. This allows the local anesthetic to spread in the craniocaudal fascial plane.
- Conditions
- External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block, Erector Spinae Plane Block, Pediatric, Upper Abdominal Surgeries
- Being tested
- External oblique intercostal plane block, Erector spinae plane block
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
External oblique intercostal plane blockOther
Patients will receive ultrasound-guided external oblique intercostal plane block.
Erector spinae plane blockOther
Patients will receive ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | Experimental | Patients will receive ultrasound-guided external oblique intercostal plane block. Receives: Other: External oblique intercostal plane block |
| Group II | Experimental | Patients will receive ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block. Receives: Other: Erector spinae plane block |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Degree of pain
Postoperative pain will be assessed using Faces pain score revised. The Faces Pain Scale revised (FPS-R) is a validated self-report instrument designed to measure pain intensity in pediatric populations.
The scale comprises a series of facial expressions, ranging from a smiling face at 0, indicating "no pain," to a crying face at 10, indicating "very much pain".
Children are instructed to select the face that most accurately reflects their current pain level.
The faces are scored (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), providing a quantifiable measure of pain intensity.
Measured: 12 hours after surgery
Secondary outcomes (6)
Heart rate
Heart rate will be recorded preoperative basal readings, after induction of anesthesia, during skin incision, and every 15 minutes intraoperative.
Measured: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Mean arterial blood pressure
Mean arterial blood pressure will be recorded preoperative basal readings, after induction of anesthesia, during skin incision, and every 15 minutes intraoperative.
Measured: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Peripheral oxygen saturation
Peripheral oxygen saturation will be recorded preoperative basal readings, after induction of anesthesia, during skin incision, and every 15 minutes intraoperative.
Measured: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Duration of analgesia
Duration of analgesia will be recorded from block completion till first postoperative rescue analgesia requirement.
Measured: 12 hours after surgery
Total rescue analgesia requirement
In Faces Pain Scale score-revised, cut of points for analgesic requirement is ≧ 4, rescue analgesia will be administered in the form of nalbuphine 0.1 mg/kg, with a maximum dose of 0.2 mg/kg.
Measured: 12 hours after surgery
Incidence of complications
Incidence of complications including hematomas block failure, intravascular injection, pneumothorax or injection into the peritoneal cavity, with associated risks of damage to bowel and other abdominal viscera at the block site will be recorded.
Measured: 12 hours after surgery
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Jun 2026
- Study start1 May 2025
- Primary completion1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for External Oblique Intercostal Plane BlockStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Alexandria UniversityThe 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
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Alexandria University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Belal Mohamed Bakr, Alexandria University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07617545
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 00012098 (0109306)
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 24 May 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Ultrasound Guided External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Versus Erector Spinae Plane Block in Paediatric Upper Abdominal Surgeries
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07617545
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 00012098 (0109306)
- Conditions
- External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block, Erector Spinae Plane Block, Pediatric, Upper Abdominal Surgeries
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Alexandria UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Jun 2026 (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.
This study aims to compare between ultrasound guided external oblique intercostal plane block and ultrasound guided erector spinae plane block in paediatric upper abdominal surgeries.
Detailed description
Paediatric nerve blocks are increasingly recognized as new standard for managing pain in children. The advantages of regional anesthesia in this population include enhanced operating conditions, expedited recovery of bowel function, and reduced postoperative pain.
The caudal epidural block remains the most used method; however, the external oblique intercostal block, a novel technique involves administering local anesthesia deep to the external oblique muscle at the sixth intercostal space, thereby blocking thoracoabdominal nerves from T6 to T10. This technique offers several advantages, including straightforward anatomy, a single muscle strip that is easily identifiable even in obese patients, a bony backstop, and an easily expandable fascial plane that can accommodate a catheter.
The erector spinae plane block involves injecting local anesthetic into the fascial plane beneath the erector spinae muscle at the tip of the vertebral transverse process. This allows the local anesthetic to spread in the craniocaudal fascial plane.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | Experimental | Other: External oblique intercostal plane blockPatients will receive ultrasound-guided external oblique intercostal plane block. |
| Group II | Experimental | Other: Erector spinae plane blockPatients will receive ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 6 to 12 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Children aged between 6 and 12 years of both sex.
- Patients with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I/II.
- Patients undergoing upper abdominal surgeries involving upper abdominal incisions.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Guardian refusal.
- Allergy to local anesthetics.
- Surgical procedures exceeding 3 hours.
- Infection at the area planned for the block injection.
- Prolonged opioid medication.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| External oblique intercostal plane blockPatients will receive ultrasound-guided external oblique intercostal plane block. | Other | Group I |
| Erector spinae plane blockPatients will receive ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block. | Other | Group II |
Primary outcome
Degree of pain
Time frame: 12 hours after surgery
Postoperative pain will be assessed using Faces pain score revised. The Faces Pain Scale revised (FPS-R) is a validated self-report instrument designed to measure pain intensity in pediatric populations. The scale comprises a series of facial expressions, ranging from a smiling face at 0, indicating "no pain," to a crying face at 10, indicating "very much pain". Children are instructed to select the face that most accurately reflects their current pain level. The faces are scored (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), providing a quantifiable measure of pain intensity.
6 secondary outcomes
Heart rate
Time frame: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Mean arterial blood pressure
Time frame: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Peripheral oxygen saturation
Time frame: Every 15 minutes intraoperative
Duration of analgesia
Time frame: 12 hours after surgery
Total rescue analgesia requirement
Time frame: 12 hours after surgery
Incidence of complications
Time frame: 12 hours after surgery
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 1 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing External oblique intercostal plane block and Erector spinae plane block in people with External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block and Erector Spinae Plane Block, run by Alexandria University at 1 site in Egypt.
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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 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 Egypt. 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?
Contact Belal M Hassan, MBBCH (00201091397908, Belal.bakr1420@alexmed.edu.eg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Degree of pain (time frame: 12 hours after surgery). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 1 Jun 2026.