Exparel vs. Marcaine ESP Block for Post-cardiac Surgical Pain

Enrolling by invitation · Phase 2/Phase 3

Conditions studied: Pain, Postoperative, Opioid Use, Perioperative Complication, Heart Diseases

In brief

The goal of this pilot study is to describe and compare Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Blocks using Exparel® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) to Marcaine® (bupivacaine hydrochloride) for pain management and outcomes after cardiac surgeries.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06077422

Run by

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

People needed

150

Starts

2024-01-11

Expected to finish

2027-04-05

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-17

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults (18 years-no upper age limit)
• Scheduled for mini thoracotomy (i.e. valve repair) or open sternotomy (i.e. bypass graft) at single academic medical center (in and out-patients).

You may not qualify if…

• Patients will be excluded if they:
• Are currently on pain medication or pain regimen for chronic pain condition
• Convert to sternotomy (for thoracotomies)
• Require, upon intraoperative discovery and surgeon's decision, the need for an unplanned secondary procedure other than the originally scheduled index operation
• Undergo emergent surgery
• Are non-English speaking (The majority of the PI's patient population speak English. As a pilot study the investigators cannot afford to enroll non-English speaking subjects due to time, personnel, and financial constraints.)
• Mechanical circulatory support (MCS)
• Vasoactive medications
• Intubated
• Active infection
• Patients otherwise deemed ineligible for ESP block by the investigators due to safety concerns.

Where it is running

• Rutgers RWJMS — New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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