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Optimal Method of Pain Management in Patients With Multiple Rib Fractures

Primary Purpose

3 or More Rib Fractures

Status
Unknown status
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
ON-Q® Pain Relief System
Thoracic epidural catheter
Sponsored by
Massachusetts General Hospital
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional supportive care trial for 3 or More Rib Fractures focused on measuring ON-Q, epidural, analgesia

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria:

  1. Age ≥ 18 years;
  2. Three or more rib fractures;
  3. Pain

    1. Severe pain (i.e. causing deleterious affect on respiratory mechanics, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturations), OR
    2. Mild to moderate pain (i.e. minimally affecting respiratory mechanics, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturations) that does not respond to oral or intravenous analgesics within 4 hours;
  4. Patient has capacity to provide informed consent, as determined by:

    1. Clinical assessment by study staff MD who will explain the study to potential subjects and then ask them to summarize the purpose, procedures, risks and alternatives back to the MD;
    2. GCS 15;
    3. Clinical assessment by independent MD who will explain the study to potential subjects and then ask them to summarize the purpose, procedures, risks and alternatives back to the MD.

Exclusion criteria:

  1. Lack capacity to provide informed consent;
  2. Intubation at time of enrollment;
  3. Contraindications to procedure (e.g. known allergy to local anesthetics).
  4. Presence of infection at site of catheter placement;
  5. Current use of anticoagulant medication;
  6. Known allergy to silver;
  7. Inability to obtain informed consent;
  8. Body weight > 300 lbs;
  9. Pregnancy;
  10. Significant co-morbid medical illness that might alter the metabolism of the anesthetic agents and result in unexpected toxicity (hepatic, renal or cardiopulmonary disease).

All women of child-bearing age will receive a urine pregnancy test prior to the start of the interventional portion of the study. A positive test result excludes the patient from inclusion in the study.

Sites / Locations

  • Massachusetts General HospitalRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Paravertebral catheter (ON-Q® Pain Relief System)

Thoracic epidural catheter

Arm Description

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Hospital length of stay/time to achieve discharge criteria
The study will compare the time to achieve discharge criteria between the two groups. Readiness for discharge is defined by the following criteria: Visual Analog Score (VAS) for pain below 4 (of a maximum 10); Ability to perform incentive spirometry with sustained maximal inspiration for three seconds; Hemodynamic stability (heart rate <100 beats/min, respiratory rate <20 breaths/min, and systolic blood pressure >90mmHg at 3 consecutive time points that are 10 minutes apart) and oxygen saturation greater than 95% on room air; Absence of neurological deficits; and Monitored for at least 1 hour after ON Q® catheter placement to ensure no immediate complications from placement or local anesthestic toxicity.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Pain score reduction
Decrease in pain as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pre-placement and 60 min post-placement of intervention. Pain score will be followed for the duration of the intervention.

Full Information

First Posted
July 21, 2011
Last Updated
October 28, 2013
Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborators
I-Flow
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT01401712
Brief Title
Optimal Method of Pain Management in Patients With Multiple Rib Fractures
Official Title
Thoracic Epidural Analgesia Compared to Thoracic Paravertebral Pump Infusion for Pain Management in Patients With Three or More Rib Fractures
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
October 2013
Overall Recruitment Status
Unknown status
Study Start Date
October 2012 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
April 2014 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
October 2014 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborators
I-Flow

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Rib fractures are a common injury of trauma patients and can cause significant pain which, if inadequately treated, can lead to impaired breathing, lung collapse, and respiratory failure. Hence, it is crucial to manage pain associated with rib fractures. Currently, epidurals are used to treat the pain, but placement can be risky as rib fractures are often associated with other injuries and complications. An alternative pain management option is the ON-Q® Pain Relief System. It is an FDA-approved device that automatically and continuously delivers medication to the region of the thoracic intercostal nerves. One study by Truitt et al (2010)demonstrated that the ON-Q® system effectively reduced pain and increased lung volumes after one hour, in patients with three or more rib fractures. However, that study sample was small and did not have a comparison group. In this study, we will compare two groups: 1) ON-Q system and 2) epidural analgesia. We hypothesize that trauma patients with three or more rib fractures, who receive pain management through the ON-Q® Pain Relief System achieve discharge criteria earlier and thus have a shorter hospital length of stay (LOS) when compared with epidural analgesia.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
3 or More Rib Fractures
Keywords
ON-Q, epidural, analgesia

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
96 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Paravertebral catheter (ON-Q® Pain Relief System)
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Title
Thoracic epidural catheter
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Intervention Type
Procedure
Intervention Name(s)
ON-Q® Pain Relief System
Intervention Description
Identify insertion site lateral to paraspinous muscles and posteromedial to the rib fractures. Then, incise skin and soft tissue down to the level of the rib. Advance tunneler perpendicular to chest wall until it contacts the rib, then, advance superiorly at 45° angle in the extrathoracic space. Remove tunneler and advance catheter in space created. Attach catheter to pump filled with 0.2% ropivacaine at infusion rate of 2-12ml/hr.
Intervention Type
Procedure
Intervention Name(s)
Thoracic epidural catheter
Intervention Description
Introduce needle into the interspinous space of the vertebral column and advance into the epidural space. Advance the epidural catheter about 3-5 cm into the epidural space and remove the needle.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Hospital length of stay/time to achieve discharge criteria
Description
The study will compare the time to achieve discharge criteria between the two groups. Readiness for discharge is defined by the following criteria: Visual Analog Score (VAS) for pain below 4 (of a maximum 10); Ability to perform incentive spirometry with sustained maximal inspiration for three seconds; Hemodynamic stability (heart rate <100 beats/min, respiratory rate <20 breaths/min, and systolic blood pressure >90mmHg at 3 consecutive time points that are 10 minutes apart) and oxygen saturation greater than 95% on room air; Absence of neurological deficits; and Monitored for at least 1 hour after ON Q® catheter placement to ensure no immediate complications from placement or local anesthestic toxicity.
Time Frame
Patient will be followed for the duration of hospital stay, 1 week
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Pain score reduction
Description
Decrease in pain as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pre-placement and 60 min post-placement of intervention. Pain score will be followed for the duration of the intervention.
Time Frame
Patient will be followed for duration of hospital stay and through daily phone calls upon discharge

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion criteria: Age ≥ 18 years; Three or more rib fractures; Pain Severe pain (i.e. causing deleterious affect on respiratory mechanics, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturations), OR Mild to moderate pain (i.e. minimally affecting respiratory mechanics, respiratory rate, or oxygen saturations) that does not respond to oral or intravenous analgesics within 4 hours; Patient has capacity to provide informed consent, as determined by: Clinical assessment by study staff MD who will explain the study to potential subjects and then ask them to summarize the purpose, procedures, risks and alternatives back to the MD; GCS 15; Clinical assessment by independent MD who will explain the study to potential subjects and then ask them to summarize the purpose, procedures, risks and alternatives back to the MD. Exclusion criteria: Lack capacity to provide informed consent; Intubation at time of enrollment; Contraindications to procedure (e.g. known allergy to local anesthetics). Presence of infection at site of catheter placement; Current use of anticoagulant medication; Known allergy to silver; Inability to obtain informed consent; Body weight > 300 lbs; Pregnancy; Significant co-morbid medical illness that might alter the metabolism of the anesthetic agents and result in unexpected toxicity (hepatic, renal or cardiopulmonary disease). All women of child-bearing age will receive a urine pregnancy test prior to the start of the interventional portion of the study. A positive test result excludes the patient from inclusion in the study.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Katharine M Koury, BA
Phone
617-643-7095
Email
kkoury@partners.org
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Leily Naraghi, MD
Phone
617-480-1668
Email
lnaraghi@partners.org
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
George C Velmahos, Md, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Massachusetts General Hospital
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
City
Boston
State/Province
Massachusetts
ZIP/Postal Code
02114
Country
United States
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Katharine M Koury, BA
Phone
617-643-7095
Email
kkoury@partners.org
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
George C Velmahos, MD, PhD
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Padma Gulur, MD

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Citations:
PubMed Identifier
20567973
Citation
Truitt MS, Mooty RC, Amos J, Lorenzo M, Mangram A, Dunn E. Out with the old, in with the new: a novel approach to treating pain associated with rib fractures. World J Surg. 2010 Oct;34(10):2359-62. doi: 10.1007/s00268-010-0651-9.
Results Reference
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Optimal Method of Pain Management in Patients With Multiple Rib Fractures

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