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The Effects of Dexamethasone on the Duration of Sciatic Nerve Blocks

NCT00616603 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 43

Last updated 2014-06-11

Study results available
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Summary

Dexamethasone is a commonly used steroid. This medication has been used for many years by physicians for many different indications. Recent articles, multiple case reports, and experience at this institution have indicated that dexamethasone successfully prolongs the effective duration of local anesthetics for regional blocks. This can cause a significant reduction in postoperative pain and the decreased need for postoperative narcotics. Although other adjuncts can be used for prolonging nerve blocks, epinephrine causes local vasoconstriction which can cause ischemia and nerve damage in a large nerve such as the sciatic nerve.Dexamethasone will not cause this problem and yet could prolong the duration of a sciatic nerve block. Therefore, the goal of this study is to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of dexamethasone, both locally through the nerve block and systemically via IV administration, in prolonging the effective duration of local anesthetics when used in sciatic nerve blocks.

Conditions

  • Total Knee Arthroplasty

Interventions

DRUG

Ropivacaine

20 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine injected locally as regional anesthesia given once.

DRUG

Dexamethasone

8mg Dexamethasone injected locally along with ropivacaine for regional anesthesia given once.

DRUG

Dexamethasone

2ml(8mg)Dexamethasone given once intravenously.

DRUG

Normal Saline

2ml of normal saline given once intravenously.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Loma Linda University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Charles Lee, MD · Loma Linda University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2007-08-31
Primary Completion
2011-01-31
Completion
2011-05-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Drugs

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00616603 on ClinicalTrials.gov