ArticleTrials2026
Liposomal bupivacaine versus bupivacaine hydrochloride erector spinae plane blocks in cardiac surgery: protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
Article in Trials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06077422 (Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Preoperative Erector Spinae Blocks on Cardiac Surgery Postoperative Outcomes), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Preoperative Erector Spinae Blocks on Cardiac Surgery Postoperative Outcomes
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPostoperative pain management after cardiac surgery involves a multimodal approach. Recently, the erector spinae plane (ESP) block has been incorporated into multimodal pain control protocols. These measures have been taken to increase patient satisfaction while minimizing opioid usage. Prospective data is lacking to guide decisions regarding optimal regional anesthetic agents. This randomized controlled pragmatic trial protocol seeks to determine the benefit of liposomal bupivacaine relative to plain bupivacaine hydrochloride at reducing postoperative opioid consumption and other clinical outcomes following cardiac surgery.
methodsThe investigators anticipate consenting 150 subjects to obtain 96 evaluable subjects undergoing minithoracotomy (N = 24 liposomal bupivacaine, N = 24 bupivacaine hydrochloride) or open sternotomy (N = 24 liposomal bupivacaine, N = 24 bupivacaine hydrochloride). The primary outcome will be postoperative opioid consumption, reported in morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes will include postoperative nonopioid analgesic consumption, inpatient and outpatient postoperative pain scores, 30-day mortality and major morbidity rates, postoperative quality of life, and hospitalization costs. Double blinding will be conducted with necessary measures taken to mask electronic medical records and drug preparation. DISCUSSION: The trial is currently enrolling subjects at a single academic medical center in the northeastern United States. The current study aims to investigate the postoperative pain reported by patients undergoing cardiac surgery when receiving ESP blocks with liposomal bupivacaine (experimental) compared to its hydrochloride formulation (control).
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06077422. Registered on October 2023. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06077422?tab=table .
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