Dexamethasone and Analgesic Duration After Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Blockade

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2009-11-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Patients undergoing surgery of the hand often are treated with a nerve block in the shoulder/neck area that provides anesthesia/numbing during surgery. Nerve blocks usually last for a few hours after surgery and provide pain relief for this period. It may be possible to extend the duration of anesthesia by using a steroid, which has anti-inflammtory properties. This study will compare the duration of the nerve block when dexamethasone (steroid) is added to the anesthetic injected around the nerve.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University Health Network, Toronto
• Treatments: Analgesics; Anesthetics; BB 1101; Dexamethasone; Dexamethasone 21-phosphate; Dexamethasone acetate; Mepivacaine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients having unilateral hand or forearm surgery under Supraclavicular brachial plexus blockade.

2. ASA I-III

3. Age 18-60

4. BMI < 35

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to local anesthetics and dexamethasone.

2. Contra-indication to regional anesthesia/ supraclavicular brachial plexus blockade e.g. bleeding diathesis, coagulopathy.

3. Peripheral neuropathy.

4. Peptic ulcer disease.

5. Diabetes Mellitus.

6. Inability to give informed consent.