The Optimal Time of IV Dexamethasone Administration for Prolongation of Peripheral Nerve Block

Phase 4 Completed 197 enrolled University Health Network, Toronto

RandomizedParallel-groupDouble-blindOther

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal timing of IV dexamethasone for prolongation of ultrasound (US) guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block (SCB) in patients undergoing unilateral hand or forearm surgery at the Toronto Western Hospital. Investigators seek to answer which timing of IV dexamethasone will provide the maximum block prolongation. Investigators hypothesize that IV dexamethasone administered either before or after the block will further extend the duration of analgesia provided.

Timeline

Start: 2017-05-30
Primary completion: 2023-11-23
Completion: 2024-02-16

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper The time to first reported pain was not significantly different between groups (p=0.904). PMID 39721764 ↗

Publications

Grass A, Chan V, Short AJ, Busser MJ, Chin KJ, Chowdhury J, Huszti E, Li Q, Perlas A. Timing of intravenous dexamethasone and analgesia after brachial plexus block: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2026 Mar 5;51(3):253-260. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2024-105923.

Drugs

Evaluation	Drug	Modality	Dose	Route
Subject	Dexamethasone	Small molecule	8 mg	Intravenous

Indications

No indication recorded.