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New nerve block technique could make mastectomy pain control safer

NCT ID NCT02911168

Symptom relief Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares two types of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks for controlling pain after mastectomy: the standard paravertebral block and a newer proximal intercostal block. Researchers want to see if the newer block offers better needle visibility, faster procedure time, and improved safety. The study involves 20 women scheduled for mastectomy.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
ultrasound-guided nerve block (proximal intercostal block or paravertebral block)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could show that the proximal intercostal block is a safer, easier-to-perform option for controlling pain after mastectomy.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early-stage study with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to all patients or settings. The study focuses on imaging quality and procedure time, not long-term pain relief.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

20 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2016

Finished

Jan 2020

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 85 years

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Females age 18-85 years old 2. ASA 1-3 3. Patient scheduled for unilateral or bilateral mastectomy with or without reconstruction Exclusion Criteria: 1. Coagulopathy 2. Patient refusal 3. Allergy to local anesthetics

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

agnosia Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Pain

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

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