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Nerve block could cut opioid use after heart surgery

NCT ID NCT06233318

Symptom relief Sponsor: Ohio State University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 09, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a nerve block with the anesthetic ropivacaine can reduce pain and the need for opioids after open heart surgery. Adults undergoing primary heart surgery with a sternotomy are randomly assigned to receive either the nerve block or a placebo, in addition to standard pain medication. The trial measures pain scores, opioid use, nausea, and patient satisfaction up to 90 days after surgery.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
ropivacaine
What this could lead to
If effective, this nerve block could become a standard part of pain management after open heart surgery, reducing opioid use and improving recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial, so results may not apply to all patients. The nerve block may not significantly reduce pain or opioid use, and there are risks like infection or bleeding at the injection site.

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

About 84 people

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

Started

Oct 2023

Expected to finish

Jan 2029

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: * Adult male or female patients aged \> 18 * Undergoing primary cardiac surgery requiring sternotomy * Able to provide a signed written informed consent * Able to speak, read, and write in English * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-IV Exclusion Criteria: * Any documented cognitive or psychological disorders that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, can interfere with the patients' pain perception * Diabetes Mellitus with documented neuropathic pain * Vulnerable populations: pregnant females, prisoners, breast feeding * Contraindication to nerve block: local infections, bleeding disorders, chest wall deformity, allergy to local anesthetic or dexamethasone * Previous cardiac surgery * Previous history of chronic pain diseases requiring consistent analgesic therapy for at least 1 month prior to surgery * Presence of any medical condition that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, should exclude the patient from the study * BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Autonomic nerve 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

  • The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

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