ERASER
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Pragmatic Randomised Control Trial Evaluating the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness of Serratus Anterior Plane Block with Catheter Insertion compared to Usual Care in Patients with Multiple Rib Fractures
IRAS ID
307628
Contact name
Tonny Veenith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN16156075
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
People admitted to the hospital with multiple rib fractures often experience severe pain that reduces their coughing or movement. This leads to secretions building up in the lungs. As a result, it increases the risk of developing severe lung and blood infections, delay recovery and hospital discharge, reduce quality of life after discharge and reduce the rate of survival. As part of the usual care, patients usually receive physiotherapy, deep breathing exercises (incentive spirometry) and rib fixation. Doctors would prescribe opiate based pain relief to help patients to manage their pain, however this is often ineffective and comes with undesirable side effects.
ERASER aims to find out whether a regional pain relief technique, SAP (Serratus Anterior Plane block), used in addition with usual care, reduces the chance of developing lung infection, for people with multiple rib fractures. SAP is a technique where pain relief medication is infused into the chest at a regular interval, through a small tube (catheter) that is inserted from the side of the body under the guidance of ultrasound. This provides pain relief to the fracture area.
Whilst in hospital, participants will be asked to rate the pain they are experiencing at regular intervals. The researchers will gather further data needed for this trial from the medical notes. A small blood sample will be taken for use in future research. After discharged from hospital, the researchers will give participants a phone call at 1 and 3 months from when they joined the trial, to see the progress of recovery.REC name
London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0607
Date of REC Opinion
11 Nov 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion