Preoperative Levator Ani Muscle Injection and Pudendal Nerve Block for Pain Control After Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery

Summary

To test the hypothesis that preoperative injections along the levator ani muscles and pudendal nerve with bupivacaine and dexamethasone improve pain control after vaginal apical reconstructive surgery. A three-arm, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of a total of 75 women will be performed.

The study population will be adult women (\>18 years of age) with uterovaginal or vaginal vault prolapse who have been scheduled for native tissue vaginal reconstructive surgery which includes an apical support procedure. Participants will be enrolled prior to surgery. The procedure will involved four injection sites: the bilateral levator ani muscles via a transobturator approach and bilateral pudendal nerves via a transvaginal approach. Random assignment will occur to one of three study arms: combined arm (20 milliliters bupivacaine/dexamethasone solution divided between the 4 injection sites), bupivacaine arm (20 milliliters bupivacaine divided between the 4 injection sites), or placebo arm (20 milliliters saline divided between the 4 injection sites).

Conditions

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Surgery
• Postoperative Pain

Interventions

DRUG

Dexamethasone

Pudendal Nerve and Levator Muscle Injection. See additional information in study arm description.

DRUG

Bupivacaine

Pudendal Nerve and Levator Muscle Injection. See additional information in study arm description.

PROCEDURE

Bilateral Pudendal Nerve Block

Performed transvaginally. The ischial spines will be palpated transvaginally and the sacrospinous ligament identified as a firm band running medially and posteriorly from the ischial spine to the sacrum. The needle guide will be inserted and positioned against the vaginal mucosa on the sacrospinous ligament approximately 1 cm medial and inferior to the ischial spine. When the needle guide is properly positioned, the spinal needle is advanced approximately 1cm through the vaginal mucosa into the sacrospinous ligament. The needle will be aspirated to ensure no intravascular needle placement. With a negative aspirate, 5 milliliters of solution are injected. This same procedure will be performed on the contralateral side.

PROCEDURE

Bilateral Levator Ani Muscle Injection

Performed transperineally. With thumb, superomedial aspect of obturator foramen is palpated 2-3 cm lateral to the clitoris. The index and middle finger are in the vagina to confirm obturator foramen. A spinal needle is inserted through the the obturator foramen into the obturator internus muscle. The needle is angled slightly posteriorly towards the ischial spine, parallel to the arcus tendineus levator ani and arcus tendineus fascia pelvis. The needle is advanced to the level of the ischial spine, the vaginal hand ensuring that the needle has not perforated the vaginal wall. Once the needle tip is at a depth of the ischial spine, aspiration is performed to ensure no intravascular needle placement. 5 milliliters of solution is injected along the length of the needle tract.

DRUG

Saline

Pudendal Nerve and Levator Muscle Injection. See additional information in study arm description.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Magee-Women's Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• Lauren Giugale, MD

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lauren Giugale, MD · University of Pittsburgh

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-06-01

Primary Completion

2019-04-11

Completion

2019-08-05

FDA Drug

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations