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Pain, PostoperativePhase 2NCT04646967

An Evaluation of Pain Outcomes of Ketorolac Administration in Children Undergoing Circumcision

A Phase 2 study testing Bupivacain, Sevoflurane and Acetaminophen in people with Pain, Postoperative and Phimosis, run by Alberta Children's Hospital at 1 site in Canada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed by Pediatric Urologists. Ketorolac has been shown to have an efficacy similar to morphine in multi-modal analgesic regimens without the commonly associated adverse effects. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages Up to 18 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Pain, Postoperative, Phimosis, Paraphimosis
What is being tested?
Bupivacain, Sevoflurane and Acetaminophen
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
100 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
25 Nov 2022to 25 Jan 2024
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Up to 18 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • All children admitted for circumcision at the Alberta Children's Hospital

Who cannot join

  • History of allergic reactions to local anesthetics or ketorolac
  • Bleeding diatheses
  • Coagulopathy
  • Infection at the injection site.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Canada1 site
  • Alberta Children's Hospital

    Calgary, Alberta, T3B 6A8

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: A Randomized Control Trial Evaluating Pain Outcomes of Ketorolac Administration in Children Undergoing Circumcision

Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed by Pediatric Urologists. Ketorolac has been shown to have an efficacy similar to morphine in multi-modal analgesic regimens without the commonly associated adverse effects. This study aims to see if giving ketorolac during the operation will result in better pain control. We hypothesize that ketorolac will result in pain control similar to morphine with a lower incidence of side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

Read the detailed description

We performed a pilot study in 2017 evaluating the perioperative use of ketorolac in circumcision. Overall, there were no adverse reactions and ketorolac patients did not experience significantly less pain that the control group patients. However, parental perception of pain was lower in the ketorolac group when compared to the control and this required more investigation. Based on our findings of the pilot study, we determined that we needed at least 36 patients in each study group to come to a statistical conclusion. With a larger study group perhaps a statistical difference in pain as measured with a FLACC score may become apparent.

Prospective, randomized, single-blinded study will be conducted from January 2021 - January 2022. A total of two groups will present with 50 children in each group.

A computer-generated randomized block design program will be used to allocate patients to either the treatment (ketorolac) or control (no ketorolac) group. All children will receive a 15 mg/kg oral dose of acetaminophen prior to surgery unless contraindicated. General anesthesia will be induced with sevoflurane via facemask. After establishing venous access, a laryngeal mask will be inserted, and anesthesia maintained with 1 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane in oxygen/air 50/50 mixture. The DPNB nerve block will be performed by a pediatric urologist using a 23 GA needle inserted below the Buck fascia. Once the needle tip is positioned appropriately, and after a negative aspiration test, 0.2mL/kg (maximum 10mL) of 0.25% bupivacaine is injected in small aliquots, with intermittent aspiration throughout. In all patients, skin incision is performed at least 5 min after placement of the nerve block. At the beginning of the circumcision procedure once the patient is asleep, patients in the treatment group will receive a 0.5 mg/kg intravenous dose of ketorolac. Patients will be advised to take ibuprofen and acetaminophen post-operatively as needed, but not ibuprofen within 6 hours of the procedure. A 6-hour window between ibuprofen and ketorolac is in line with our standard of practice at the Alberta Children's Hospital when using additional NSAIDs after ketorolac.

Patients' demographic information, time needed to perform the block, time of block onset and duration of surgery will be recorded. The mean arterial pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation, expired sevoflurane end tidal concentration and MAC will be systematically collected pre-operatively, intra-operatively and post-operatively in the recovery room. The primary outcome of post-operative pain will be evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The usage of these two scales will be performed as deemed appropriate by the research assistant. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment (> 7 years of age). The FLACC score is a well-established postoperative pain measure using 5 items scored between 0-2, which has been validated in patients from 6 months up to 7 years of age. These faces are rated on a scale of 10. A FLACC or NRS pain score will be recorded every 15 minutes for the first hour and every 30 minutes for up to 2 hours following discharge from the PACU into the day stay surgical unit. If the score is found to be >3 (moderate pain 4-6, severe pain 7-10), the patient will receive an intravenous morphine dose of 0.05mg/kg. An additional dose may be given 15 minutes following the initial dose of morphine if analgesia is inadequate (score >4). Postoperatively, the child will be monitored every 15 minutes during the first hour and every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours until discharge home. Discharge will be based on normal institutional criteria including level of awareness, hemodynamic stability and absence of pain, bleeding, nausea and vomiting. Prior to discharge, parents will be provided with any additional analgesics required at home and will be contacted 24 hours following their surgery to complete the parents' postoperative pain measure (PPPM). The PPPM is a well-established post-operative pain assessment tool with high inter-rater reliability and construct validity, which has been designed specifically for use by parents in the post-operative care of their children. The measure includes 15 items scored between 0 and 1. The questionnaire will be completed over the telephone at a time corresponding to 24 hours post-surgical closure. Amount of pain and analgesia consumption data will then be collected by contacting the parents 24 hours post procedure.

Being tested
Bupivacain, Sevoflurane, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Ketorolac
Keywords
penis, pain, ketorolac, circumcision
Medical subject headings
Pain, Postoperative, Phimosis, Paraphimosis, Balanitis, Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • BupivacainDrug

    Also called Marcaine

    See active comparator description

  • SevofluraneDrug

    Also called Sevorane, Ultane, Sojourn

    See active comparator description

  • AcetaminophenDrug

    Also called Tylenol

    See active comparator description

  • IbuprofenDrug

    Also called Advil

    See active comparator description

  • KetorolacDrug

    Also called Toradol

    See experimental arm description

Study groups in NCT04646967
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
No ketorolacActive comparator15 mg/kg oral dose of acetaminophen is administered prior to surgery. General anesthesia will be induced with sevoflurane via facemask. After establishing venous access, a laryngeal mask will be inserted, and anesthesia maintained with 1 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane in oxygen/air 50/50 mixture. The DPNB nerve block is done using a 23 GA needle inserted below the Buck fascia. Once the needle tip is positioned appropriately and after a negative aspiration test, 0.2mL/kg (maximum 10mL) of 0.25% bupivacaine is injected in small aliquots, with intermittent aspiration throughout. In all patients, skin incision is performed at least 5 min after placement of the nerve block. Patients will be advised to take ibuprofen and acetaminophen postoperatively as needed.
Receives: Drug: Bupivacain; Drug: Sevoflurane; Drug: Acetaminophen; Drug: Ibuprofen
Peri-operative ketorolacExperimentalExactly same as the no ketorolac group except at the beginning of the circumcision, once the patient is asleep, patients in the perioperative ketorolac group will also receive a 0.5 mg/kg intravenous dose of ketorolac.
Receives: Drug: Bupivacain; Drug: Sevoflurane; Drug: Acetaminophen; Drug: Ibuprofen; Drug: Ketorolac

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: Immediately following the procedure

  2. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the Wong-Baker FACES scale will be used in patients capable of self-assessment. Both scores are out of 10 and can be averaged together to quantify post-operative pain

    Measured: 15 minutes post-operatively

  3. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 30 minutes post-operatively

  4. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 45 minutes post-operatively

  5. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 60 minutes post-operatively

  6. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 90 minutes post-operatively

  7. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 120 minutes post-operatively

  8. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 150 minutes post-operatively

  9. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) pain score or Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score ascertained by a nurse or research assistant blinded to the anesthetic technique. The FLACC scale will be used in children who have difficulty verbalizing pain and in sleeping children (regardless of age) while the NRS pain score will be used in patients capable of self-assessment.

    Measured: 180 minutes post-operatively

  10. Post-operative pain

    Evaluated through use of Parents' Post-operative Pain Measure (PPPM) completed via telephone follow-up with parent/guardian 24-hours post-operative.

    Measured: 24 hours post-operatively

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Total ibuprofen consumption

    Evaluated and compiled through anesthesia notes, post-operative nursing care notes and parental telephone follow-up

    Measured: 24 hours post-operatively

  2. Total acetaminophen consumption

    Evaluated and compiled through anesthesia notes, post-operative nursing care notes and parental telephone follow-up

    Measured: 24 hours post-operatively

  3. Incidence of bleeding requiring medical attention

    Bleeding events will be compiled through post-anesthetic care unit, surgical short stay unit, clinic and emergency department notes

    Measured: Up to 2 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 Nov 2020
  2. Study start25 Nov 2022
  3. Primary completion25 Jan 2024
  4. Study completion25 Jan 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
100 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04646967
Sponsor's protocol ID
REB20-1076
Status last verified
Aug 2024
First submitted
23 Nov 2020
Last updated
2 Aug 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Allan CY, Jacqueline PA, Shubhda JH. Caudal epidural block versus other methods of postoperative pain relief for circumcision in boys. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(2):CD003005. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003005.

    PubMed 12804449
  • Brady-Fryer B, Wiebe N, Lander JA. Pain relief for neonatal circumcision. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004 Oct 18;2004(4):CD004217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004217.pub2.

    PubMed 15495086
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management. Practice guidelines for acute pain management in the perioperative setting: an updated report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management. Anesthesiology. 2012 Feb;116(2):248-73. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e31823c1030. No abstract available.

    PubMed 22227789
  • Adler R, Ottaway MS, Gould S. Circumcision: we have heard from the experts; now let's hear from the parents. Pediatrics. 2001 Feb;107(2):E20. doi: 10.1542/peds.107.2.e20.

    PubMed 11158494
  • Sutters KA, Levine JD, Dibble S, Savedra M, Miaskowski C. Analgesic efficacy and safety of single-dose intramuscular ketorolac for postoperative pain management in children following tonsillectomy. Pain. 1995 Apr;61(1):145-153. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(94)00166-C.

    PubMed 7644238
  • Gunter JB, Varughese AM, Harrington JF, Wittkugel EP, Patankar SS, Matar MM, Lowe EE, Myer CM 3rd, Willging JP. Recovery and complications after tonsillectomy in children: a comparison of ketorolac and morphine. Anesth Analg. 1995 Dec;81(6):1136-41. doi: 10.1097/00000539-199512000-00004.

    PubMed 7486094
  • De Oliveira GS Jr, Agarwal D, Benzon HT. Perioperative single dose ketorolac to prevent postoperative pain: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Anesth Analg. 2012 Feb;114(2):424-33. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0b013e3182334d68. Epub 2011 Sep 29.

    PubMed 21965355
  • von Baeyer CL, Spagrud LJ. Systematic review of observational (behavioral) measures of pain for children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years. Pain. 2007 Jan;127(1-2):140-50. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.08.014. Epub 2006 Sep 25.

    PubMed 16996689
  • Merkel SI, Voepel-Lewis T, Shayevitz JR, Malviya S. The FLACC: a behavioral scale for scoring postoperative pain in young children. Pediatr Nurs. 1997 May-Jun;23(3):293-7.

    PubMed 9220806
  • Chambers CT, Hardial J, Craig KD, Court C, Montgomery C. Faces scales for the measurement of postoperative pain intensity in children following minor surgery. Clin J Pain. 2005 May-Jun;21(3):277-85. doi: 10.1097/00002508-200505000-00011.

    PubMed 15818080
  • Chambers CT, Finley AG, McGrath PJ, Walsh TM. The parents' postoperative pain measure: replication and extension to 2-6-year-old children. Pain. 2003 Oct;105(3):437-443. doi: 10.1016/S0304-3959(03)00256-2.

    PubMed 14527704
  • Julious SA. Sample size of 12 per group rule of thumb for a pilot study. Pharmaceutical Statistics 4.4: 287-291, 2005

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Bupivacain, Sevoflurane and Acetaminophen in people with Pain, Postoperative and Phimosis, run by Alberta Children's Hospital at 1 site in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Aug 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Post-operative pain (time frame: Immediately following the procedure). The study lists 10 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04646967, which also lists 12 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Aug 2024.

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