New pain block after heart surgery aims to cut opioid use
NCT ID NCT06028126
First seen Jan 05, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 30 times
Summary
This study tested whether a nerve block placed near the breastbone after heart surgery can reduce the need for opioid painkillers. 340 adults having heart surgery through a standard chest incision were randomly assigned to receive either the numbing drug ropivacaine or a saltwater placebo through small tubes placed under the skin. The main goal was to measure total opioid use in the first 72 hours after surgery.
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This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Foothills Medical Centre
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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QEII Health Sciences Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia, NS B3H 3A7, Canada
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Royal Columbian Hospital
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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St. Michael's Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8, Canada
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 it works, this could offer a way to reduce opioid use and improve pain control after heart surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a completed trial, but the intervention is a local anesthetic block that may not significantly reduce opioid use compared to placebo. Results may not apply to all heart surgery patients.
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.