New pain block combo may ease recovery after Open-Heart surgery
NCT ID NCT06865404
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether adding extra nerve blocks to a standard chest-wall block can better control pain from surgical drains after heart surgery. 180 adults undergoing elective heart surgery received either the standard block alone or with an additional block. The goal was to see if the extra blocks reduce drain-site pain and the need for strong painkillers.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- bupivacaine
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer better pain control after heart surgery, reducing opioid use and speeding recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study. The extra blocks may not provide meaningful benefit over the standard block, and results may not apply to all heart surgery patients.
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
-
180 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Mar 2025
- Finished
-
Aug 2025
- 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 65 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: The study will include adult patients of both sexes, aged 18 to 65, with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status II and III who are scheduled to have fast-tracking elective on-pump cardiac surgery through a median sternotomy with epigastric drain insertion. Exclusion Criteria: * patients who refused to participate in the study, also * who had Cognitive impairment or mental disorders, * Ages \<18 and \>65 years, * BMI \<18 and \>35, * patients with puncture site infection, * patients who documented allergy to local anesthetic drugs, * patients used to take chronic pain medications, * patients who made previous sternotomy or chest surgery and * patients undergoing emergency procedures * patients with a history of substance abuse.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Alexandria University
Alexandria, Alexandria Governorate, 21521, Egypt
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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