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Could a nerve block replace opioids for severe belly pain in the ER?

NCT ID NCT07826936

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, Irvine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Emergency departments often treat severe abdominal pain with narcotic painkillers, which carry addiction risks. This pilot study tests an alternative: an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block, where doctors inject the anesthetic bupivacaine near the spine to numb the abdomen. Researchers will enroll 30 adults with abdominal pain that has not improved after multiple doses of narcotics, and compare their pain relief and satisfaction to standard systemic pain medication. The study also measures how practical the procedure is for emergency physicians to perform.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
bupivacaine, an anesthetic injected near the spine to numb the abdomen
What this could lead to
If it works, this could give emergency doctors an opioid-free way to treat severe abdominal pain, which may help reduce reliance on addictive painkillers.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-phase pilot with 30 patients, so it may not show a clear benefit or may not work for everyone. Nerve blocks can cause bleeding, infection, or nerve injury, though these risks are uncommon.

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

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Oct 2024

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

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 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

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: * Over 18 years of age * Abdominal pain that is intractable, defined as pain persisting despite administration of more than one dose of narcotic medication * Nonsurgical abdominal pain, determined by either a benign abdominal exam not warranting a computed tomography (CT) scan, or a CT scan showing no identifiable surgical process * Patient may present from the Emergency Department (ED) or may be an admitted inpatient Exclusion Criteria: * Under 18 years of age * Pregnant, confirmed by a positive pregnancy test sent on all female patients of childbearing age presenting with abdominal pain * Psychiatric patients * Unable to verbalize a pain score, or impaired decision-making capacity (e.g., obtunded, intoxicated, lethargic, critically ill, intubated, or cognitively impaired) * Any contraindication to nerve blocks, such as infection overlying the injection site, a bleeding disorder, or an allergy to anesthetic * Surgical abdomen requiring serial abdominal exams

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Erector spinae plane block

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

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  2. The official record

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UC Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine

    RECRUITING

    Orange, California, 92868, United States

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