Ultrasound Guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Rib Fractures

Launched by WELLSPAN HEALTH · Feb 25, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a new way to help manage pain for patients with multiple rib fractures using a technique called a serratus anterior plane block (SAPB). The study compares the effectiveness of this procedure, which uses ultrasound to guide where to inject pain-relieving medicine, against traditional pain medications given alone. By doing this, researchers hope to find out if SAPB can provide better pain relief and improve breathing and overall recovery for patients in the emergency department.

To join this study, participants need to be adults over 18 years old with at least one recent rib fracture that has been confirmed by X-ray or CT scan. They should also need stronger pain relief, like intravenous (IV) medicine or oral opioids. If you participate, you can expect to receive either the SAPB procedure or standard pain medication during your visit to the emergency department. The study will also keep track of how much pain medicine you use, any changes in your care needed, and how long you stay in the hospital. This research aims to ensure that the SAPB procedure is safe and practical for patients with rib fractures.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age \>18 years
• • \>1 Unilateral, acute rib fractures diagnosed on x-ray or CT imaging
• • Patient presenting to the WellSpan York Hospital ED
• • Patient requiring IV analgesia or oral opioid to control pain related to rib fractures
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Age \<18 years
• • Inability to provide informed consent
• • Allergy to local anesthesia
• • Subsequent visit for rib fractures
• • Patients taken emergently to the OR or discharged from the ED
• • Significant distracting injuries/polytrauma that would not be expected to be responsive to analgesia from SAPB and confound pain scores, i.e. long bone fractures, intraabdominal injuries, etc.