Bolus vs. continuous: which pain pump works best after surgery?
NCT ID NCT03230565
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests two methods of delivering local anesthetic through a nerve block catheter after surgery: a steady continuous drip or scheduled small bursts (boluses). Researchers want to see which approach reduces pain and the need for opioid painkillers. About 240 adults having surgery will take part, and their pain levels and medication use will be tracked.
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 show that scheduled bolus infusions provide better pain control after surgery than continuous infusions, potentially reducing the need for opioid painkillers.
- What could go wrong
- This is a Phase 4 study comparing two standard techniques, so no major breakthrough is expected. Results may not apply to all surgeries or patient groups.
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
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 240 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2018
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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 patients presenting for nerve block catheters for post-operative analgesia * ASA physical status I, II, or III. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Incarceration * Age \<18 * BMI \>35 * Pre-operative opioid use \>30 mg morphine equivalents per day * Inability to communicate with investigators by telephone * Pre-existing neuropathy of the operative extremity.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Stanford University
RECRUITINGStanford, California, 94305, United States
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