NCT07387484

Brief Summary

The erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a widely used regional anesthesia technique for postoperative analgesia in thoracic surgery. The block can be performed in different patient positions, most commonly sitting or lateral decubitus, but the effect of patient position on dermatomal sensory spread and analgesic efficacy has not been clearly established. This prospective, randomized, single-blind clinical trial aims to compare the effects of ESP block performed in sitting versus lateral decubitus position on dermatomal sensory distribution and postoperative analgesic outcomes in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Trial Health

35
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
90

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2026

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable

Status
not yet recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

January 28, 2026

Completed
4 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 1, 2026

Completed
3 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

February 4, 2026

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 1, 2026

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2026

Completed
Last Updated

February 6, 2026

Status Verified

February 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

2 months

First QC Date

January 28, 2026

Last Update Submit

February 4, 2026

Conditions

Thoracic Surgery, Video AssistedPostoperative Pain

Keywords

video assisted thorachoscopic surgeryerector spinae plane block

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Dermatomal sensory spread

    Cranial and caudal sensory limits and total number of dermatomes affected, assessed by cold sensation and pin-prick testing.

    15 minutes after the block application

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Postoperative pain scores (Numeric Rating Scale)

    Postoperative 0, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours

  • Total opioid consumption

    First 24 postoperative hours

Study Arms (2)

Sitting Position Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Intervention: Erector Spinae Plane Block Ultrasound-guided unilateral erector spinae plane block performed in the sitting position using 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine.

Drug: Erector Spinae (ESP) Block with Bupivacaine (Marcaine®) sitting position

Lateral Decubitus Position Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention: Erector Spinae Plane Block Ultrasound-guided unilateral erector spinae plane block performed in the lateral decubitus position (operative side up) using 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine.

Drug: Erector Spinae (ESP) Block with Bupivacaine (Marcaine®) lateral position

Interventions

Erector Spinae (ESP) Block with Bupivacaine (Marcaine®) sitting positionDRUG

Erector spinae plane block-sitting position

Sitting Position Group
Erector Spinae (ESP) Block with Bupivacaine (Marcaine®) lateral positionDRUG

Erector Spinae Plane Block-Lateral position

Lateral Decubitus Position Group

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 75 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Age 18 to 75 years
  • ASA physical status II-IV
  • Scheduled for elective video-assisted thoracic surgery
  • Ability to provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Known allergy to local anesthetics
  • Chronic opioid use
  • Preexisting chronic pain
  • Severe cognitive impairment
  • Technical difficulty with positioning
  • Emergency surgery
  • Refusal to participate

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative

Interventions

ParapsychologyDental OcclusionBupivacaineSitting Position

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Postoperative ComplicationsPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsPainNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral SciencesBehavioral Disciplines and ActivitiesDentistryDental Physiological PhenomenaDigestive System and Oral Physiological PhenomenaAnilidesAmidesOrganic ChemicalsAniline CompoundsAminesPostureMusculoskeletal Physiological PhenomenaMusculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

January 28, 2026

First Posted

February 4, 2026

Study Start

February 1, 2026

Primary Completion

April 1, 2026

Study Completion

May 1, 2026

Last Updated

February 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share