Rotator Cuff InjuriesCLEAR-SHOULDERNCT07628244
Comparison of Two General Anesthesia Maintenance Strategies on Intraoperative Visibility During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery: A Randomized Trial
A study testing Inhalation anesthesia and Continuous intravenous anesthesia in people with Rotator Cuff Injuries and Anesthesia, General, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Shoulder arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, and the quality of the surgeon's view inside the joint is critical to its safety and success. Unlike limb surgery, no tourniquet can be applied to the shoulder, so surgical visibility depends almost entirely on how much bleeding occurs within the… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Rotator Cuff Injuries, Anesthesia, General, Arthroscopy
- What is being tested?
- Inhalation anesthesia and Continuous intravenous anesthesia
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 110 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 18 Jun 2026to 18 Mar 2028
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patient aged 18 or over
- Patient scheduled for elective rotator cuff repair arthroscopy (RCRA), performed in the "beach-chair" position under general anesthesia combined with an interscalene block (with or without standard associated procedures such as acromioplasty and/or tenotomy/tenodesis of the long biceps). Procedures for instability (Bankart/Latarjet), fractures, capsulitis, simple lavage, or any arthroscopy not focused on rotator cuff repair (RCR) are not eligible.
- Patient with an ASA score of I to IV
- Patient affiliated to a social security scheme,
- Patient having given written consent following written and oral information.
Who cannot join
- Patients with a contraindication to any of the study agents, including known hypersensitivity or allergy to any of these agents or to any of their excipients.
- Patients with known coagulopathy (abnormal PT/INR; platelets < 100,000/L) or
- Patients with active preoperative hemarthrosis or local infection.
- Non-elective (emergency) surgery or a procedure whose initial objective is not rotator cuff repair arthroscopy (RCRA). Note: Intraoperative conversion to open surgery is not an exclusion criterion; it will be considered an intraoperative event and managed in the analysis according to the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle, with a sensitivity analysis procedure described in the statistical plan.
- Uncooperative patient, inability to consent
- Pregnant women
- Patient protected by law under guardianship or curatorship, or unable to participate in a clinical study under article L. 1121-16 of the French Public Health Code.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
CHU de Nice
Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, 06000
Charlotte CIAIS, Study coordinator, 04 92 03 93 93 ext. +33, ciais.c3@chu-nice.fr
About this study
Shoulder arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, and the quality of the surgeon's view inside the joint is critical to its safety and success. Unlike limb surgery, no tourniquet can be applied to the shoulder, so surgical visibility depends almost entirely on how much bleeding occurs within the joint - which is itself influenced by the anesthetic drugs used to keep the patient asleep.
Two standard techniques exist for maintaining general anesthesia: inhaled anesthesia (sevoflurane) and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA, using propofol). Evidence from other types of keyhole surgery (nasal, ear) suggests that propofol may produce better surgical visibility, possibly because sevoflurane causes slightly greater dilation of the smallest blood vessels in tissue, leading to more bleeding into the joint. However, in shoulder arthroscopy specifically, the data are scarce and contradictory.
Read more
CLEAR-SHOULDER is a randomized, single-blind trial designed to determine whether propofol-based intravenous anesthesia provides superior intraoperative visibility compared to sevoflurane-based inhaled anesthesia during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Surgical visibility will be assessed from blinded video recordings of each procedure using the validated modified Fromme-Boezaart score. An exploratory artificial intelligence analysis of the arthroscopic videos will also be conducted.
Secondary outcomes include operating time, irrigation fluid consumption, hemodynamic stability, vasopressor requirements, surgeon satisfaction, postoperative recovery, and environmental impact of each anesthetic strategy.
- Conditions
- Rotator Cuff Injuries, Anesthesia, General, Arthroscopy
- Being tested
- Inhalation anesthesia, Continuous intravenous anesthesia
- Medical subject headings
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Inhalation anesthesiaProcedure or surgery
Inhaled anesthesia maintenance with sevoflurane, titrated to maintain a Bispectral Index (BIS) between 40 and 60 throughout the procedure. Analgesia maintained with remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) at 4 ng/mL cerebral target. Induction performed with propofol, atracurium, ketamine and dexamethasone. Norepinephrine administered as needed to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 70 mmHg.
Continuous intravenous anesthesiaProcedure or surgery
Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) maintenance with propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI, Schnider model), titrated to maintain a Bispectral Index (BIS) between 40 and 60 throughout the procedure. Analgesia maintained with remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) at 4 ng/mL cerebral target. Induction performed with propofol TCI (4-6 ng/mL cerebral target), atracurium, ketamine and dexamethasone. Norepinephrine administered as needed to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 70 mmHg.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Inhalation anesthesia | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Procedure: Inhalation anesthesia |
| Continuous intravenous anesthesia | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Continuous intravenous anesthesia |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Intraoperative surgical field visibility assessed by the modified Fromme-Boezaart score
Time-weighted mean modified Fromme-Boezaart score assessed over the entire surgical procedure by two independent blinded evaluators analyzing standardized arthroscopic video segments. The modified Fromme-Boezaart scale ranges from 0 (no bleeding, perfect visibility) to 5 (severe bleeding, surgery impossible). Higher scores indicate worse surgical visibility. In case of discordance greater than 1 point between the two evaluators, a third independent evaluator will adjudicate.
Measured: Intraoperative (from first incision to skin closure)
Secondary outcomes (1)
Operative duration
.Duration of surgery in minutes, measured from first incision to skin closure.
Measured: Intraoperative (from first incision to skin closure)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Jun 2026
- Study start18 Jun 2026
- Primary completion18 Jun 2026
- Study completion18 Mar 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Rotator Cuff InjuriesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de NiceThe 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
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 110 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07628244
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 26-PP-04
- Acronym
- CLEAR-SHOULDER
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 29 May 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparison of Two General Anesthesia Maintenance Strategies on Intraoperative Visibility During Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery: A Randomized Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07628244
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CLEAR-SHOULDER / 26-PP-04
- Conditions
- Rotator Cuff Injuries, Anesthesia, General, Arthroscopy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 110 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de NiceUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 18 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 18 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 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.
Shoulder arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, and the quality of the surgeon's view inside the joint is critical to its safety and success. Unlike limb surgery, no tourniquet can be applied to the shoulder, so surgical visibility depends almost entirely on how much bleeding occurs within the joint - which is itself influenced by the anesthetic drugs used to keep the patient asleep.
Two standard techniques exist for maintaining general anesthesia: inhaled anesthesia (sevoflurane) and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA, using propofol). Evidence from other types of keyhole surgery (nasal, ear) suggests that propofol may produce better surgical visibility, possibly because sevoflurane causes slightly greater dilation of the smallest blood vessels in tissue, leading to more bleeding into the joint. However, in shoulder arthroscopy specifically, the data are scarce and contradictory.
CLEAR-SHOULDER is a randomized, single-blind trial designed to determine whether propofol-based intravenous anesthesia provides superior intraoperative visibility compared to sevoflurane-based inhaled anesthesia during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Surgical visibility will be assessed from blinded video recordings of each procedure using the validated modified Fromme-Boezaart score. An exploratory artificial intelligence analysis of the arthroscopic videos will also be conducted.
Secondary outcomes include operating time, irrigation fluid consumption, hemodynamic stability, vasopressor requirements, surgeon satisfaction, postoperative recovery, and environmental impact of each anesthetic strategy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Inhalation anesthesia | Active comparator | Procedure: Inhalation anesthesia |
| Continuous intravenous anesthesia | Experimental | Procedure: Continuous intravenous anesthesia |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Patient aged 18 or over
- Patient scheduled for elective rotator cuff repair arthroscopy (RCRA), performed in the "beach-chair" position under general anesthesia combined with an interscalene block (with or without standard associated procedures such as acromioplasty and/or tenotomy/tenodesis of the long biceps). Procedures for instability (Bankart/Latarjet), fractures, capsulitis, simple lavage, or any arthroscopy not focused on rotator cuff repair (RCR) are not eligible.
- Patient with an ASA score of I to IV
- Patient affiliated to a social security scheme,
- Patient having given written consent following written and oral information.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Patients with a contraindication to any of the study agents, including known hypersensitivity or allergy to any of these agents or to any of their excipients.
- Patients with known coagulopathy (abnormal PT/INR; platelets < 100,000/L) or
- Patients with active preoperative hemarthrosis or local infection.
- Non-elective (emergency) surgery or a procedure whose initial objective is not rotator cuff repair arthroscopy (RCRA). Note: Intraoperative conversion to open surgery is not an exclusion criterion; it will be considered an intraoperative event and managed in the analysis according to the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle, with a sensitivity analysis procedure described in the statistical plan.
- Uncooperative patient, inability to consent
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Inhalation anesthesiaInhaled anesthesia maintenance with sevoflurane, titrated to maintain a Bispectral Index (BIS) between 40 and 60 throughout the procedure. Analgesia maintained with remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) at 4 ng/mL cerebral target. Induction performed with propofol, atracurium, ketamine and dexamethasone. Norepinephrine administered as needed to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 70 mmHg. | Procedure or surgery | Inhalation anesthesia |
| Continuous intravenous anesthesiaTotal intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) maintenance with propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI, Schnider model), titrated to maintain a Bispectral Index (BIS) between 40 and 60 throughout the procedure. Analgesia maintained with remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI) at 4 ng/mL cerebral target. Induction performed with propofol TCI (4-6 ng/mL cerebral target), atracurium, ketamine and dexamethasone. Norepinephrine administered as needed to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 70 mmHg. | Procedure or surgery | Continuous intravenous anesthesia |
Primary outcome
Intraoperative surgical field visibility assessed by the modified Fromme-Boezaart score
Time frame: Intraoperative (from first incision to skin closure)
Time-weighted mean modified Fromme-Boezaart score assessed over the entire surgical procedure by two independent blinded evaluators analyzing standardized arthroscopic video segments. The modified Fromme-Boezaart scale ranges from 0 (no bleeding, perfect visibility) to 5 (severe bleeding, surgery impossible). Higher scores indicate worse surgical visibility. In case of discordance greater than 1 point between the two evaluators, a third independent evaluator will adjudicate.
1 secondary outcome
Operative duration
Time frame: Intraoperative (from first incision to skin closure)
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 24 Jun 2026.
- 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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Inhalation anesthesia and Continuous intravenous anesthesia in people with Rotator Cuff Injuries and Anesthesia, General, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice at 1 site in France.
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 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 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 France. 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 Jérôme MASCARELLI, Principal investigator (+33 4 92 03 29 52, mascarelli.j@chu-nice.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Intraoperative surgical field visibility assessed by the modified Fromme-Boezaart score (time frame: Intraoperative (from first incision to skin closure)). 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 24 Jun 2026.