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Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL)ESPB-PNLNCT07653230

Two Bupivacaine Concentrations for Erector Spinae Plane Block in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

An observational study of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL) and Nephrolithiasis, run by Ankara Education and Research Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

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

People who undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), a procedure used to remove kidney stones, often experience pain after surgery. An ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is commonly used to help reduce this pain. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 70 years
What is being tested?
Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
1 Jul 2024to 19 Mar 2025
How long will I take part?
2 Days
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: The study population consisted of adult patients undergoing elective percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) for renal stone disease at a single tertiary care center between July 2024 and March 2025. Eligible participants were 18-70 years of age, classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III, and received ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) as part of perioperative analgesic management. A total of 60 participants were included and prospectively followed throughout the postoperative period.

Who may be able to join

  • Age between 18 and 70 years.
  • Scheduled to undergo elective percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL).
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III.
  • Received ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) before surgery.
  • Willing and able to provide written informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • Inability to assess pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
  • Advanced cardiovascular disease.
  • Coagulopathy or bleeding disorders.
  • Opioid use disorder.
  • Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m².
  • Infection at the planned injection site.
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to bupivacaine, other local anesthetics, or study-related medications.
  • Withdrawal of consent during the study period.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
  • Ankara Training and Research Hospital

    Ankara, Mamak, 06420

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: Effects of Two Different Bupivacaine Concentrations in Ultrasound-Guided Thoracic Erector Spinae Plane Block on Postoperative Pain and Inflammatory Biomarkers After Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

People who undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), a procedure used to remove kidney stones, often experience pain after surgery. An ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is commonly used to help reduce this pain.

This study compares two different concentrations of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic medication, used during ESPB. Participants undergoing PNL will receive either 0.25% or 0.375% bupivacaine as part of their pain management.

Researchers will compare pain scores, the need for additional pain medication, and changes in blood markers related to inflammation after surgery. The aim of the study is to determine whether one concentration provides better pain control or influences the inflammatory response differently after PNL.

Read the detailed description

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is the standard treatment for large and complex renal stones. Despite its minimally invasive nature, postoperative pain remains an important clinical concern and may adversely affect recovery, mobilization, and patient satisfaction. Ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been increasingly incorporated into multimodal analgesia protocols because of its simplicity, safety profile, and effectiveness in reducing postoperative pain.

The optimal concentration of bupivacaine for ESPB in patients undergoing PNL remains unclear. This study was designed to compare the effects of two different concentrations of bupivacaine (0.25% and 0.375%) administered during ultrasound-guided thoracic ESPB on postoperative pain control and inflammatory response following PNL.

Adult patients scheduled for elective PNL were enrolled. ESPB was performed at the T10 vertebral level under ultrasound guidance before surgery. Participants received 20 mL of either 0.25% or 0.375% bupivacaine. Standard perioperative anesthetic and postoperative analgesic protocols were applied to all participants.

The primary outcome was postoperative pain intensity assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores at predefined postoperative time points. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative fentanyl consumption, postoperative tramadol consumption, patient-controlled analgesia requirements, postoperative nausea and vomiting, patient satisfaction, and perioperative changes in inflammatory biomarkers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR).

Demographic characteristics, stone-related variables, operative data, and perioperative hemodynamic parameters were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed to compare postoperative pain outcomes, analgesic requirements, and inflammatory biomarker responses between the study groups.

Being tested
Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)
Keywords
erector spina plane block, nephrolithiasis, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, bupivacaine, different concentrations
Medical subject headings
Nephrolithiasis

What participants receive

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

  • Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)Procedure or surgery

    Ultrasound-guided thoracic erector spinae plane block was performed at the T10 vertebral level before surgery by an experienced anesthesiologist. A total volume of 20 mL bupivacaine was administered. Participants received either 0.25% or 0.375% bupivacaine according to the study cohort. The block was used as part of a multimodal analgesia protocol for postoperative pain management following percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Study groups in NCT07653230
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
group 10.25% Bupivacaine ESPB
Receives: Procedure: Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)
group 20.375% bupivacaine ESPB
Receives: Procedure: Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)

What is being measured

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

  1. Postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and total opioid consumption

    Postoperative pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 0-10), where higher scores indicate greater pain severity. Pain scores and Total intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption were recorded at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after surgery.

    Measured: 36 hours after surgery

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. inflammatory markers

    Changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio measured before surgery and at 12 and 24 hours after surgery.

    Measured: 24 hours after surgery

Timeline

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

  1. First posted17 Jun 2026
  2. Study start1 Jul 2024
  3. Primary completion18 Mar 2025
  4. Study completion19 Mar 2025

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
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
Target duration
2 Days
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07653230
Sponsor's protocol ID
E-24-130
Acronym
ESPB-PNL
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
12 Jun 2026
Last updated
17 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: Individual participant data will not be made publicly available because the informed consent obtained from participants did not include permission for public data sharing, and data confidentiality and privacy will be maintained in accordance with institutional and ethical requirements.

Publications

  • Altiparmak B, Korkmaz Toker M, Uysal AI, Gumus Demirbilek S. Comparison of the efficacy of erector spinae plane block performed with different concentrations of bupivacaine on postoperative analgesia after mastectomy surgery: ramdomized, prospective, double blinded trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2019 Mar 4;19(1):31. doi: 10.1186/s12871-019-0700-3.

    PubMed 30832580
  • Forero M, Adhikary SD, Lopez H, Tsui C, Chin KJ. The Erector Spinae Plane Block: A Novel Analgesic Technique in Thoracic Neuropathic Pain. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2016 Sep-Oct;41(5):621-7. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000451.

    PubMed 27501016

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL) and Nephrolithiasis, run by Ankara Education and Research Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

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 8 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 17 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?

Postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and total opioid consumption (time frame: 36 hours after surgery). 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 NCT07653230, which also lists 2 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 17 Jun 2026.

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