MedPath

Chest Wall Block After Sternotomy: Randomized Controlled Trial in Cardiac Surgery: (PABLOS Study)

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Pain, Postoperative
Cardiac Surgery
Interventions
Drug: LRA Loco-regional anesthesia
Procedure: Standardized post-operative analgesia protocol
Registration Number
NCT05345639
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Angers
Brief Summary

The main objective is to compare the effectiveness of LocoRegional Anesthesia (LRA) (bilateral transverse thoracic block or bilateral parasternal block) in addition to standard management compared to standard management alone (general anesthesia without LRA) on the FQoR-15 (French Quality of Recovery - 15 score) at H+24 after cardiac surgery by sternotomy.This is a phase III monocentric superiority study , comparative, with three parallel groups, randomized with a ratio (1:1:1), controlled versus standard management, single-blind.

Detailed Description

Each year, more than one million patients worldwide undergo cardiac surgery via sternotomy. Postoperative pain is frequent in this context, affecting 49% of patients at rest and 78% during mobilization. This pain is associated with many avoidable post-operative complications.

Nowadays, ERAS (Enhanced Rehabilitation After Surgery) protocols are increasingly developed in order to optimize post-operative rehabilitation. The management of postoperative pain is one of their main challenges and is based in particular on the use of locoregional anesthesia (LRA) with the aim of sparing morphine.

Several LRAs have been described in cardiac surgery in recent years, and they are increasingly used in routine clinical practice. Transverse thoracic block and parasternal block are the main peripheral LRA techniques proposed for surgical procedures with sternotomy. Transverse chest block was first described in cardiac surgery in 2015 ; and the parasternal block in 2018. These techniques are spreading in current clinical practice because of their simplicity of implementation, their safety and their supposed effectiveness. The parasternal block is more recent, and presents a more superficial injection plane than the transverse thoracic block. Thus, it is theoretically as effective as the transverse thoracic and less at risk of complications.

The main objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of LRA (bilateral transverse thoracic block or bilateral parasternal block) in addition to standard management compared to standard management alone (general anesthesia without LRA) on the quality of early postoperative recovery after heart surgery by sternotomy.

The primary endpoint is the postoperative recovery score in the French version, FQoR-15 (French Quality of Recovery - 15 score), performed at H+24. The FQoR-15 is currently one of the most reliable and reproducible tools for assessing the quality of postoperative rehabilitation. This instrument is one of the recommended endpoints for the evaluation of patient comfort, according to a recent consensus of international experts.

This study is a phase III study of superiority, monocentric, comparative, with three parallel groups, randomized with a ratio (1:1:1), controlled versus standard care, single-blind. of inclusion is 254 patients included and randomized.

The patient is pre-included during the pre-anaesthetic visit, the day before his scheduled surgery. He receives oral and written information, and provides his written consent to participate in this study, the follow-up will be 30 days. Depending on the randomization, the patient receives one of the following three treatments:

1. bilateral transverse thoracic block followed by standard analgesic management;

2. a bilateral parasternal block followed by standard analgesic treatment;

3. standard analgesic treatment alone (without LRA). Bilateral parasternal block or transverse thoracic block are performed ultrasound-guided, at the end of surgery in the operating room. Once in the desired plane depending on the randomisation (transverse or parasternal), a volume of 20 ml of ropivacaine at 2 mg/ml is injected on each side of the sternum. The rest of the pain management is identical in the three groups according to the habits of the department.

If the hypotheses on the effectiveness of parasternal block and/or transverse thoracic block are confirmed, postoperative recovery in the interventional arms will be improved. This will confirm the value of performing an LRA postoperatively.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
254
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PSB group (=ParaSternal Block = Superficial PIP = Superficial parasternal intercostal plane block)LRA Loco-regional anesthesiaAt the end of the surgery, realisation of a bilateral parasternal block (20ml of Naropeine 0.2%, each side). Followed by standard analgesic treatment.
TTP group (= Transversus Thoracic Plane block = Deep PIP = Deep parasternal intercostal plane block)LRA Loco-regional anesthesiaAt the end of the surgery, realisation of a bilateral transverse thoracic block. (20ml of Naropeine 0.2%, each side) Followed by standard analgesic treatment.
PSB group (=ParaSternal Block = Superficial PIP = Superficial parasternal intercostal plane block)Standardized post-operative analgesia protocolAt the end of the surgery, realisation of a bilateral parasternal block (20ml of Naropeine 0.2%, each side). Followed by standard analgesic treatment.
Control groupStandardized post-operative analgesia protocolStandard analgesic treatment alone (without LRA) .
TTP group (= Transversus Thoracic Plane block = Deep PIP = Deep parasternal intercostal plane block)Standardized post-operative analgesia protocolAt the end of the surgery, realisation of a bilateral transverse thoracic block. (20ml of Naropeine 0.2%, each side) Followed by standard analgesic treatment.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
FQoR-15 score at 24 hours (French Quality of Recovery-15 score)24 hours after surgery

Value of the French Quality of Recovery-15 score (minimum value of 0 and maximum value of 150, with a higher score for a better outcome).

The QoR-15 questionnaires will be completed by the patient himself whenever possible, who could be helped by a nurse blinded to the assignment group.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Rate of painful patients24 and 48 hours after surgery

Proportion of patients having had at least one VRS \>3

Pain (VRS) at rest and mobilisation3, 6, 12, 24, 48 , 72 hours after surgery and during the removal of surgical drains

Analgesic efficacy at rest and during exercise (cough, physiotherapy session, mobilization) assessed via pain measurements by a simple verbal rating scale (VRS) with 11 items (0: no pain, 10: maximum pain)

Post-operative consumption of daily non-morphine analgesics (milligrams)24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after surgery

Including Pacetamol, Nefopam, ketoprofene, Ketamine in milligrams.

Duration of hospitalization. (days)Noted at Day 30

The length of stay in post-operative intensive care (between arrival in intensive care and leaving the service) and in the hospital counted in number of days started.

Post-operative consumption of morphine (milligrams)3, 6, 12 hours after surgery and daily assessed at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after surgery

Amount of opioid consumption, in equivalent of milligrams.

Extubation time (hours)Noted at Day 30

Measured in number of hours since arrival in intensive care (between arrival in intensive care and the first attempt at extubation);

FQoR-15 score at 48 hours48 hours after surgery

The quality of postoperative recovery reassessed 48 hours after surgery by the FQoR-15; Value of the French Quality of Recovery-15 score (minimum value of 0 and maximum value of 150, with a higher score for a better outcome).

The QoR-15 questionnaires will be completed by the patient himself whenever possible, who could be helped by a nurse blinded to the assignment group.

Rate of patients return to preoperative weightNoted at day 3 and 5 after surgery

Proportion of patient return to announced weight at the pre-anaesthetic consultation (truncating the weight in kg)

Rate of patients return to a transitNoted at day 3 and 5 after surgery

Proportion of patient return to a transit (including solid or gaseous transit)

Rate of readmission to intensive care.Noted at Day 30

The proportion of patients admitted in the intensive care unit whatever the reason, censored at 30 days.

Rate of postoperative complications30 days

The proportion of patients with at least one major postoperative complication of cardiac surgery during hospitalization: de novo postoperative atrial fibrillation, revision surgery, respiratory failure, mediastinitis, neurological complication, acute renal failure, gastrointestinal complication, infectious complication with bacteremia, pneumothorax, infectious pneumonitis.

Rate of patients with at least one complication of LRA30 days

Proportion of patients with at least one complication of LRA: systemic intoxication with local anesthetics within 3 hours after injection, hematoma or infection at the puncture site.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Jeanneteau

🇫🇷

Angers, Maine Et Loire, France

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath