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Interscalene Catheter vs. Interscalene Liposomal Bupivacaine for Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Pain, Postoperative
Interventions
Procedure: Single injection peripheral nerve block with liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel)
Procedure: Single injection peripheral nerve block with 0.25% bupivacaine and subsequent peripheral nerve catheter with 0.2% bupivacaine infusion via onQ pain pump
Registration Number
NCT04571606
Lead Sponsor
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Brief Summary

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair often causes significant postoperative pain. An interscalene nerve catheter is an effective and proven method to help reduce postoperative pain and decrease opioid use around the time of shoulder surgery. Liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) was recently approved by the FDA for use around the interscalene brachial plexus, and it has been shown to be an effective option, but its analgesic efficacy has limited data. Both techniques are currently being used at the UNC's Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) for analgesia after shoulder arthroscopy. The goal is to ensure that the fairly new Exparel option provides non-inferior analgesia as compared to the prior standard practice of placing a nerve catheter with plain bupivacaine. The investigators hope to ensure the quality of pain control around the time of shoulder arthroscopy at this institution by prospectively and rigorously collecting data during regular follow up.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective comparison of patients undergoing rotator cuff repair that receive one of two types of interscalene nerve block, both of which are currently being used at UNC. Group 1 will be comprised of patients with a preoperative interscalene nerve catheter placed with 20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine and a 0.2% ropivacaine infusion by an OnQ pain pump. Group 2 will be comprised of patients with a preoperative interscalene nerve block placed with 10 mL 0.5% bupivacaine and 10 mL 1.3% Liposomal Bupivacaine (Exparel). All patients in both groups will have a similar intraoperative general anesthetic with multimodal analgesic pre-op oral medications.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
80
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adult patients age > 18 undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair at the ambulatory surgery center at the University of North Carolina
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Exclusion Criteria

the below are simply contraindications to regional anesthesia in general, this is a pragmatic study to evaluate the quality of care for these patients with no additional exclusion criteria.

  • Contraindications to regional anesthesia
  • Significant peripheral neuropathy or neurological disorder affecting the upper extremity
  • Pregnancy
  • Cognitive or psychiatric condition that might affect patient assessment and/or inability to provide informed consent.
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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Liposomal BupivacaineSingle injection peripheral nerve block with liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel)Pre-operative ultrasound guided interscalene nerve block with 10 mL 1.3% liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) and 10 mL 0.5% bupivacaine
Peripheral Nerve CatheterSingle injection peripheral nerve block with 0.25% bupivacaine and subsequent peripheral nerve catheter with 0.2% bupivacaine infusion via onQ pain pumpPre-operative ultrasound guided interscalene nerve block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine and placement of peripheral nerve catheter with 10 mL/hr 0.2% bupivacaine infusion via OnQ pump.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Quality of Recovery 15 Score (QOR15)48 hours postoperatively

The QoR15 provides a valid, extensive, and efficient evaluation of postoperative quality of recovery. The QOR15 has 15 questions on a 0-10 point scale, so the QOR15 score can range from 0-150, the higher the score, the better the quality of recovery.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of North Carolina Ambulatory Surgery Center

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

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