Nerve Blocks or Combat Trauma: What Drives Peripheral Nerve Injury?

NCT07868133 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: NBT-PNI-2026-01
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 1,000
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study will examine nerve problems after combat-related injuries to the arms or legs. Some patients receive a peripheral nerve block, an injection of local anaesthetic near a nerve, to help control pain. However, combat injuries themselves can damage nerves through blast effects, fractures, blood vessel injury, bleeding, infection, surgery, or use of a tourniquet. The study will follow adults with combat-related limb injuries who receive routine care at a specialised trauma centre. Treatment will not be assigned by the study. Researchers will record details of the injury, pain treatment, nerve block use, and nerve function over time. The main goal is to determine how often patients have new or worsened numbness, weakness, or nerve pain after injury, and whether these problems are more closely related to the injury itself, the nerve block, or several factors together. The findings may help clinicians provide safer pain treatment and recognise nerve problems earlier.

Conditions

Combat-Related Limb Injury; Nerve Block; Nerve Damage; Nerve Blocks; Neurological Complications

Keywords

Peripheral nerve block;; Regional anaesthesia; Combat trauma; Peripheral nerve injury; Neurological complications; Limb trauma; Ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia; Pain management

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of participants with persistent peripheral neurological deficit at 90 days after injury

  Persistent peripheral neurological deficit will be assessed at 90 days after injury by clinical neurological examination and documented as present or absent, including sensory loss, motor weakness, or neuropathic symptoms attributable to peripheral nerve injury.

  Mean Medical Research Council (MRC) muscle strength score at 90 days after injury

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Number of participants with early peripheral neurological deficit within 72 hours after injury

  48 to 72 hours after the index injury.

• Pain Intensity

  48 to 72 hours and 90 days after the index injury.

• Attribution of Persistent Neurological Deficit

  90 days after the index injury.

• Number of participants with a regional anaesthesia-related safety event within 48 hours after block placement

  From peripheral nerve block placement to 72 hours after the index injury.

Study Arms (1)

Peripheral Nerve Block Group

Adults with combat-related upper- or lower-limb trauma who received an ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block as part of routine clinical care. Blocks may be single-injection techniques or continuous peripheral nerve catheters. The study does not assign the block or modify clinical treatment; it records routinely delivered analgesia and subsequent neurological outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults with combat-related upper- or lower-limb trauma treated at a specialised Ukrainian war trauma centre. The population includes patients with blast- or ballistic-related injuries, fractures, soft-tissue injury, vascular injury, traumatic amputation, or complex reconstructive needs. Patients may receive ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks or routine non-regional analgesia as part of standard clinical care.

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years or older.
• Combat-related traumatic injury of an upper or lower limb, including blast- or ballistic-related injury.
• Admission to, or treatment at, the study centre during the defined study period.
• Available clinical documentation of injury characteristics and neurological assessment sufficient for outcome evaluation.
• Receipt of routine trauma care with or without an ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block.

You may not qualify if:

• Pre-existing neurological disease or documented chronic peripheral neuropathy that prevents reliable assessment of a new trauma-related neurological deficit.
• Isolated injuries without involvement of an upper or lower limb.
• Missing or insufficient medical-record data on injury characteristics, analgesia exposure, or neurological outcome.
• Death before neurological outcome assessment.
• Withdrawal of consent, where consent is required by the ethics committee.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ukrainian Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapy: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Peripheral Nerve Injuries; Agnosia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries; Perceptual Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Dmyto Dmytriiev, PhD.Professor

CONTACT

0674309449; dmytrodmytriiev@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Target Duration: 3 Months
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: professor, head of intensive care department

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 30, 2026
• First Posted: October 9, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Last Updated: October 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share