Pharmacokinetics of the erector spinae plane block
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PHArmacokineticS of l-bupivacaine in adults after ultrasound-guided Erector spinae plane block and programmable intermittent bolus regime
IRAS ID
327313
Contact name
David Hewson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Background
An erector spinae plane (ESP) block injects local anaesthetic numbing medicine into a person's back to give pain relief after rib fractures. Although these blocks are commonly performed in the NHS we don’t know exactly how much local anaesthetic to inject. Inject too little and the block might not work, inject too much and serious complications like overdose of local anaesthetic might occur because the medicine leaches into people's blood stream from their back.Aims
We aim to study how much local anaesthetic goes into people’s bloodstream after an ESP injection is done for rib fractures. The amount of local anaesthetic in the blood will help doctors decide how to dose this medicine in the future.
Methodology
Eight patients with rib fractures who need an ESP block will be asked to take part. They will receive an ESP block as part of their usual NHS care. If they take part in the study we will take 18 blood samples (through a cannula, so no need for lots of separate injections) over 25 hours. The samples will be analysed for local anaesthetic levels. Once the final sample is taken from each patient, the patient will stop being in the study, but will continue to receive usual NHS care for their injuries.Outcomes
This project will tell us, for the first time, exactly how much local anaesthetic enters patients bloodstream after this block. This information will help doctors to give patients an appropriate dose of anaesthetic in the future.Implications
We will use what we learn from this study to carry out further experiments testing if different groups of patients are more at risk of overdose than others depending on which block they receive (for example the elderly).REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/YH/0161
Date of REC Opinion
3 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion