Clinical Research Directory

Artificial Intelligence vs. Automated Messaging for Continuous Regional Analgesia Follow-up

Effective postoperative analgesia is critical for patient recovery, satisfaction, and the reduction of hospital stay duration. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks (CPNB) via catheter placement represent a cornerstone in achieving these objectives. Traditionally, follow-up for these patients has relied on standardized telephone protocols conducted by trained personnel. Original previous research in 2024 demonstrated that an automated text-messaging platform was feasible and maintained high patient satisfaction, it resulted in a significantly higher rate of unscheduled patient-initiated inquiries (28.3% vs. 6.4%) compared to traditional phone calls, likely due to a lack of adaptive response capabilities. Objective: This study aims to evaluate an enhanced technological iteration of our follow-up platform. By integrating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) interface trained on specialized clinical protocols, the new system is designed to provide automated, personalized and adaptive recommendations to patients. Methods and Intervention: The study will compare the effectiveness of this AI-driven platform against the previous version of the non-adaptive automated messaging system. The primary outcome is to compare the number of patient-initiated inquiries (re-consultations). Secondary outcomes include patient satisfaction, adherence to the follow-up protocol, and response rates from postoperative days one through three. Impact: The investigators hypothesize that the integration of AI will optimize human resources and improve patient autonomy without compromising safety or satisfaction, ultimately providing a scalable model for postoperative regional analgesia monitoring.

DIPB vs. SIFIB for Postoperative Analgesia After Hip Surgery

This randomized, double-blind clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of the Deep Iliacus Plane Block (DIPB) and the Suprainguinal Fascia Iliaca Block (SIFIB) for postoperative pain control in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. Effective analgesia after hip surgery is essential for early mobilization, reduction of complications, and improved recovery outcomes. Seventy patients scheduled for elective hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia will be randomly assigned to receive either DIPB or SIFIB at the end of surgery. Postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, motor block, and block-related complications will be evaluated over a 48-hour period. The study aims to determine whether DIPB provides superior or comparable analgesia with reduced motor blockade compared to SIFIB, thereby contributing to safer and more comprehensive postoperative pain management in hip surgery patients.

Sensory Analysis and Cutaneous Mapping of Different Regional Anesthesia Techniques

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate and compare the sensory block distribution and regression patterns of two regional anesthesia techniques - External Oblique Plane Block (EOPB) and Serratus Intercostal Plane Block (SIPB) - in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Thirty adult patients (ASA I-III, BMI ≤ 35 kg/m², ≥50 kg) scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures will be included, with 20 in each block group. Sensory block areas will be assessed using pinprick test, and dermatomal mapping will visualize the spread. The findings are expected to improve understanding of block behavior and guide multimodal analgesia strategies in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Effect of Gestational Weight Gain on Spinal Anesthesia in Elective Cesarean Delivery

This prospective, observational, non-interventional study aims to evaluate the effect of gestational weight gain on regional anesthesia characteristics in pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean delivery. No additional intervention, medication, or procedure beyond routine clinical care will be performed. Participants will be classified according to gestational weight gain categories based on the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines, and spinal anesthesia block characteristics, hemodynamic responses, and perioperative outcomes will be assessed.

Revision of Deep Brain Stimulator in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the central nervous system, particularly impairing movement control. It is associated with the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain and typically occurs in middle age and beyond. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is considered when symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as tremors, slowed movements, and muscle rigidity, are not adequately controlled with medications. Selected patients with severe symptoms that do not respond to medical treatment are generally considered for this treatment. Battery revision surgeries can be performed under general anesthesia or regional anesthesia. Patients undergoing general anesthesia should be cautious about the potential complications of general anesthesia, while those undergoing regional anesthesia should be cautious about the local anesthetic systemic toxicity. Because each method has its own advantages, the choice of anesthesia may vary. This study aimed to compare postoperative analgesic efficacy and patient satisfaction in patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia or sedation-assisted battery replacement under regional anesthesia. Both anesthesia methods are routinely used in Parkinson's disease patients undergoing battery replacement.

IPP-PSP Block vs. SPSIPB in Breast Surgery

This prospective, randomized clinical study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy of the interpectoral-pectoserratus plane block and the serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Both techniques are ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia methods targeting different interfascial planes of the thoracic wall. The study will evaluate postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, Quality of recovery and potential complications. The findings are expected to contribute to optimizing regional anesthesia strategies for enhanced recovery and improved analgesia following breast cancer surgery.

Neurological Events and Unforeseen Risks After Locoregional-anesthesia

This is a multicenter, prospective, observational study aimed at determining the incidence of neurological and non-neurological complications following locoregional anesthesia procedures. The study will collect data on events such as nerve injury, hematoma, pneumothorax, and local anesthetic systemic toxicity.

The Lateral, Anterior, Medial (LAM) Femoral Cutaneous Block: A Case Series Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA

Skin donor sites in patients undergoing split-thickness skin grafting surgeries can be very painful postoperatively. This site is most often the anterolateral thigh, the pain at which location can traditionally be covered by a fascia iliaca nerve block, although that comes with the disadvantage of losing motor functions in the femoral nerve distribution. The LAM nerve block, which is relatively new, aims to provide analgesia in the distribution of the lateral and anterior femoral cutaneous nerves. In short, this nerve block would decrease the sensation of the anterolateral thigh area without affecting the motor function of the leg. Investigators aim to study the consistency and coverage size of sensation changes by mapping out the area after the block in each patient.

The Sacral Erector Spinae Plane Block in Total Knee Arthroplasty

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the analgesic efficacy and postoperative recovery of two locoregional anesthesia combinations in patients \> 18 years (ASA I-III), scheduled for unilateral TKA under spinal anesthesia with expected hospitalization \> 24 hours: * ACB + sacral ESP block * ACB + iPACK block The main question it aims to answer is: Does the ACB + sacral ESP block combination produce effective postoperative recovery and analgesic effect? Participants already taking ACB + sacral ESP block as part of their regular peri-operative care for TKA will be followed in the postoperative period for 48 hours.

Regional Anesthesia in TKA: Impact on Postoperative Joint Motion and Patient Satisfaction

This is a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial aiming to evaluate the effects of different regional anesthesia/analgesia techniques on postoperative knee range of motion (ROM) and patient satisfaction following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Ninety patients undergoing elective TKA under spinal anesthesia will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) spinal anesthesia with epidural catheter, 2) spinal anesthesia followed by adductor canal catheterization, and 3) spinal anesthesia with multimodal intravenous analgesia. The primary outcome is postoperative knee joint ROM measured on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3. Secondary outcomes include patient satisfaction, Oxford Knee Score, postoperative opioid consumption, and VAS scores. The study is conducted at Konya City Hospital and will be completed over a 6-month period.

Insufficient Regional Anesthesia and Conversion to General Anesthesia for Cesarean Section A Qualitative Multicenter Study

Background In Denmark, approximately 20% of all children are born via cesarean section (C-section), making it the most common surgical procedure (also internationally). The recommended anesthesia for cesarean sections is regional anesthesia (spinal or epidural, "spinal anesthesia"), as it has several advantages: the woman is awake and experiences the delivery of her child, she maintains spontaneous breathing (the risk of difficult airway management is significantly higher in pregnant women), and the risk of aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs (which is clearly increased in pregnant women) is reduced. Furthermore, regional anesthesia can contribute to early postoperative pain management to some extent. With spinal anesthesia, most women feel pressure and touch but no pain during the cesarean section. However, some women do experience pain during the procedure, necessitating a change in the plan. If inadequate anesthesia is detected before the surgery begins, one may choose (depending on, for example, the urgency of the cesarean) to administer renewed regional anesthesia (typically an epidural). However, if the woman first experiences pain after the surgery has commenced, it is necessary to place her under general anesthesia for the remainder of the procedure. Experience shows that this process can be challenging, and there are frequent examples in clinical practice of inappropriate courses of action, where women have experienced unacceptable pain during their cesarean sections without being placed under general anesthesia. It is difficult to obtain an exact figure on how many women experience inadequate anesthesia during cesarean sections under regional anesthesia, as not all cases are recognized or followed up on. Studies indicate that up to 12% experience pain during a cesarean section. The consequences of inadequate anesthesia for cesarean sections can be quite significant for women, including impaired bonding with the child, poorer establishment of breastfeeding, increased risk of postpartum reactions and post-traumatic stress, as well as (anecdotally) the risk of women opting out of future pregnancies, as they may be reluctant to subject themselves to a similar situation again. Aim The aim of this study is to investigate how women experience insufficient regional anesthesia during cesarean sections that require conversion to general anesthesia. The focus is on exploring the factors that contribute positively and negatively to the woman's experience in this situation. Method Qualitative study in six Danish hospitals. Inclusion criteria: * Women undergoing elective or emergency cesarean section, aged over 17 years * Regional (spinal or epidural or combined epidural-spinal) anesthesia converted to general anesthesia intraoperatively (i.e., after surgery has commenced) due to insufficient regional anesthesia (i.e., not for obstetric indications, such as in cases of difficult fetal extraction) Exclusion criteria: * Does not speak Danish or English * Does not wish to participate The woman will be contacted for the first time on day 1 or 2 after the cesarean section (before she is discharged from the hospital). She will be informed about the project and invited to participate. As a potential project participant, she is entitled to a 24-hour consideration period, and if desired, a new contact will be arranged for the following day. If she wishes to participate, she will be contacted again after 3 months. At this time, she will receive a call to schedule a follow-up telephone interview within a few days. This will take place as a semi-structured interview, initiated with open questions and concluded with a few more specific questions. At the end of the interview, a screening for post-traumatic stress will be conducted using the PTSD-8 tool. Follow-up interviews will be recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. Sample Size The project encompasses all women at the participating centers who experience insufficient regional anesthesia during a cesarean section and conversion to general anesthesia during 1 year.

Insufficient Regional Anesthesia for Cesarean Section: Mothers' Experiences A Qualitative Study

In Denmark, approximately 20% of all children are born via cesarean section (C-section), making it the most common surgical procedure (also internationally). The recommended anesthesia for cesarean sections is regional anesthesia (spinal or epidural, "spinal anesthesia"), as it has several advantages: the woman is awake and experiences the delivery of her child, she maintains spontaneous breathing. Furthermore, regional anesthesia can contribute to early postoperative pain management to some extent. With spinal anesthesia, most women feel pressure and touch but no pain during the cesarean section. However, some women do experience pain during the procedure, necessitating further intervention or ultimately a change in anesthetic form. If inadequate anesthesia is detected before the surgery begins, one may choose to administer renewed regional anesthesia (typically an epidural). However, if the woman first experiences pain after the surgery has commenced, it can be necessary to place her under general anesthesia for the remainder of the procedure. Experience shows that this process can be challenging, and there are frequent examples in clinical practice of inappropriate courses of action, where women have experienced unacceptable pain during their cesarean sections without being placed under general anesthesia. The consequences of inadequate anesthesia for cesarean sections can be quite significant for women, including impaired bonding with the child, poorer establishment of breastfeeding, increased risk of postpartum reactions and post-traumatic stress. The aim of this study is to investigate how women experience insufficient regional anesthesia during cesarean sections, in cases where the regional anesthesia was not converted to general anesthesia. The focus is on exploring the factors that contribute positively and negatively to the woman's experience in this situation, and investigate if any recommendations for how to handle the situation can be extrapolated from the women's experiences. Method Qualitative study. Inclusion criteria: * Adult women undergoing elective or emergency cesarean delivery within the last 2 years, with the experience of pain during surgery * Regional (spinal or epidural or combined epidural-spinal) anesthesia NOT converted to general anesthesia Exclusion criteria: * Does not speak Danish or English * Does not wish to participate Relevant women will be invited to contact us through public post on social media. If a woman responds to the post, she will be offered further information about the project, both verbally via telephone and in writing sent by email. Women can also be invited to participate if encountered by a project-group member during clinical work. Participants will be invited to an interview via telephone. This will take place as a semi-structured interview, initiated with open questions and concluded with a few more specific questions. At the end of the interview, a screening for post-traumatic stress will be conducted using the PTSD-8 tool. Interviews will be recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. The interview guide will be developed with input from the entire project group and with participation from three mothers who have previously experienced insufficient regional anesthesia during a cesarean section. The guide will be pilot-tested on 2-3 patients after cesarean section. The interview guide may be adjusted during the study, if necessary. The number of women required to participate before a sufficient amount of information is obtained (as no new information is expected from subsequent interviews) is not known in advance; however, it is estimated that 20 women will need to participate. However, the sample size is also defined by convenience, as the investigators do not know how many women it will be possible to establish contact with via the Facebook post and through clinical work. If too few women (e.g. \<15) are included within the first two months, the investigators will make a new public posting and expand the period of inclusion to concern cesarean sections within the last 5 years instead of 2 years. Baseline data regarding the mother and the cesarean section will be collected by asking the women during the scheduled interview, and therefore access to medical records are not necessary. Qualitative data will also be gathered through the interview, conducted as a semi-structured interview based on an interview guide. Data will be entered into SurveyXact software, where it will be securely stored. Data will be handled using descriptive statistics. Interview data will be analyzed using content analysis. Nvivo software will be used for managing and coding qualitative data.

Erector Spinae Block vs. Placebo Block Study

Regional anaesthesia combined with general anaesthesia has become common in the perioperative management of breast cancer surgery patients. Regional techniques have been recognised to provide excellent post-operative analgesia. It enhances multi-modal analgesia regimes while being opioid sparing, reducing incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting and allowing earlier mobilisation/discharge and improving treatment success. Therefore identifying the correct regional anaesthetic technique for this group of patients is important in providing optimum peri-operative care.

SFIB vs PENG Block in the Anesthesia for Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement is one of the most common orthopedic operations. According to statistical studies, more than 1 million of such surgical interventions are performed annually in the world. The average age of primary hip replacement surgery is 69 y.o. Modern approaches of control of general anesthesia allow safe performance of different surgical interventions under general anesthesia. However, general anesthesia does not have an effective and long-lasting effect on relieving operational stress compared to neuraxial anesthesia. To achieve a similar effect, it is necessary to adhere to the principle of multimodality of anesthesia, and the most promising method is a combination of general and regional anesthesia. peripheral blocks are described in the literature, aimed at analgesia directly in the hip joint area, and effectively used in orthopedics. Most blocks are currently performed under ultrasound control, the risk of nerve damage and accidental intravascular administration of local anesthetics is potentially reduced. It was established that the use of ultrasound guidance reduces the number of attempts and the amount of anesthetic administered, as well as reduces the time required to perform a block. Another predicted effect is a reduction in the doses of opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and have a nephrotoxic effect, and can also depress breathing. It should be noted that patients over 65 y.o., have the highest risks of these side effects. This study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of SFIB and PENG block in hip replacement, as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of combined anesthesia in comparison with general anesthesia without the use of peripheral blocks.

When to Block? Timing of Scalp Block in Craniotomy

This study aims to evaluate the effect of scalp block timing-whether administered preoperatively or postoperatively-on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing craniotomy. The recovery quality will be assessed using the validated Quality of Recovery-40 (QoR-40) questionnaire. A total of 60 patients, aged 18-80 years, classified as ASA I-III and with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15 upon admission to the recovery unit, will be enrolled. The primary outcome is the QoR-40 score. Secondary outcomes include hemodynamic changes and pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Lidocaine vs. Lidocaine With Dexmedetomidine for Intravenous Regional Anesthesia (IVRA) in Upper Limb Surgery

This study compares lidocaine alone vs. lidocaine with dexmedetomidine in Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) for upper limb surgery in terms of pain scores and duration of analgesia

Serratus Posterior Plane Block vs Erector Spine Plane Block

Analgesia related to the administration of local anesthetic solution into the fascia of erector spinae muscle is mediated by the effect of local anesthetic on the posterior and lateral branches of the anterior part of the spinal nerve. Comparable analgesic efficiency after the administration of both nerve blocks would reject the widespread theory of the paravertebral site of effect of the local anesthetic in ESPB.

Perioperative Use of Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) and Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion in Anesthetic Management of Spinal Surgery in Children

Testing the hypothesis that in children undergoing spinal surgery, ESP-block will increase the time to emergency anesthesia in the postoperative period compared with intravenous lidocaine infusion.

Comparing Postoperative Analgesic Techniques for Umbilical Hernia Repair: A Randomized Trial of Ultrasound Guided Caudal, Erector Spinae, and External Oblique Interfascial Plane Blocks

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound guided Erector block versus caudal block versus external oblique intercostal plane block perioperatively

Comparative Analysis of Ultrasound-Guided Versus Landmark-Based Techniques for Regional Anesthesia in Egyptian Patients

Regional anesthesia is a cornerstone in modern surgical practices due to its ability to provide effective pain management and reduce reliance on general anesthesia. Traditional landmark-based techniques, widely used due to their simplicity and cost-effectiveness, rely on surface anatomy and palpation to guide needle placement. However, these techniques are associated with a higher risk of complications, including failed blocks and nerve injuries. Ultrasound-guided techniques have emerged as a safer, more precise alternative, offering real-time visualization of anatomical structures. Studies suggest that ultrasound guidance improves the success rate, reduces procedural time, and minimizes complications. Despite global advancements in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia, limited research addresses its efficacy and safety specifically in Egyptian patients, whose unique anatomical and physiological characteristics may influence outcomes. This study seeks to fill this knowledge gap and provide evidence-based guidance tailored to this population, focusing on brachial plexus blocks.

Impact of Smoking on Ultrasound-Guided Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block Onset and Duration

The present study will be conducted involving 40 patients aged 18-65 years with ASA physical status I and II, scheduled for acute or elective hand or forearm surgery under the lateral infraclavicular block. Patients will be divided into two groups based on smoking status: Group I (non-smokers) and Group II (smokers who smoke ≥20 cigarettes/day for over 1 year). Using a high-frequency linear ultrasound transducer, the axillary artery, vein, and the three nerve cords will be identified in the lateral infraclavicular region. After disinfection with ethanol-chlorhexidine, a sterile drape will be placed, and the attending anesthesiologist will perform the ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block with a triple injection technique. A total of 10 mL of bupivacaine 0.25% and prilocaine 0.05% will be injected at all three nerve cords. The primary outcome will be the sensory blockade onset time, while secondary outcomes will include the duration of sensory and motor blockade, motor blockade onset time, time to first postoperative rescue analgesia, and total consumption of rescue analgesia. Postoperative pain will be assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) within the first 24 hours at intervals of 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 hours. If VAS exceeds 30 cm, rescue analgesia with 0.05 mg/kg intravenous morphine sulfate will be administered.

Stress Reduction Using Video Googles on Patients Undergoing Vascular Surgery

One treatment option of internal carotid artery stenosis is open surgical endarterectomy. The operation is frequently carried out under regional plexus anesthesia, allowing the patient to remain awake during the procedure. This approach offers the advantage of monitoring for neurological changes during carotid artery clamping, allowing the surgical team to immediately respond by placing a shunt to ensure cerebral perfusion. As a result, performing surgery under regional anesthesia provides therefor a benefit. However, for patients, the procedure, which can last up to two hours or longer in some cases, may pose a significant burden. The fixed position, inability to move, sterile drapes over the face, manipulation by the surgical team, and anxiety about potential complications are just a few of the factors that may distress patients during the operation. Increased sweating and reports of substantial subjective distress are not uncommon if the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. In many medical fields, devices and therapies are now being utilized to reduce patient stress in the perioperative setting. In procedures performed under local or regional anesthesia, such as in orthopedics or dentistry, efforts are being made to make operations more tolerable and less stressful for patients. For example, music and video goggles are employed to entertain and distract patients during the intervention. Newer approaches using video googles appear in more and more fields to reduce distress. Especially in vascular surgery and particularly in carotid surgery, the use of audiovisual distraction during the procedure has not been implemented to our knowledge, and its benefits remain undocumented. Because of the special setting and burden for the patients it is highly necessary to test these devices in carotid surgery and explore potential benefits for these patients.

Mixed Local for Sciatic Block

Choice of local anesthetics is the major determinant of the characteristics of a peripheral nerve block. Short acting local anesthetics while provides faster onset suffer from shorter duration. On the other hand, long acting local anesthetics while provides long duration suffered from long onset time. The ideal local anesthetics should provide faster nerve block onset while providing reasonable duration to provide sustained postoperative analgesia. Mixing short and long acting local anesthetics for nerve blocks may appear to be the solution however previous published studies have demonstrated similar onset time to long acting local anesthetics and with reduced duration. Recently, the London Health Sciences Centre established an ambulatory surgical centre. Fast onset peripheral nerve block is desirable. Previous studies have not looked at popliteal sciatic block and anecdotally we feel addition of short acting local anesthetics appear to speed up onset. We are therefore interested in conducting a randomize trial to determine whether mixing short and long acting local anesthetics can speed up onset of surgical quality block.

Ultrasound-guided Peripheral Nerve Blocks - a Database

Peripheral nerve blocks are often used in anaesthesia. They can be used as the only method of anaesthesia during surgery or in combination with other methods, e.g., general anaesthesia and sedation. Moreover, peripheral nerve blocks are used to treat postoperative pain, alleviate pain in trauma patients, and for painful procedures. For a method to be clinically useful, it is essential to understand the factors contributing to high success rates. It is equally important to know the complications related to the method. Finally, it is essential to establish a robust learning system where the anesthesiologists can track their nerve block performance over time and compare it to high performers and general performance. Therefore, we aim to establish a prospective and ongoing database to gain insight into 1) Factors contributing to block quality, e.g., success rate and nerve block duration; 2) Frequencies and types of nerve injuries and bleeding complications associated with the block procedure; 3) Tracking of block performance by anaesthesiologists.