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Ultrasound Guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Rib Fractures

Ultrasound Guided Serratus Anterior Plane Block Versus Standard Therapy for Analgesic Relief of Rib Fractures in the Emergency Department

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age \>18 years
* \>1 Unilateral, acute rib fractures diagnosed on x-ray or CT imaging
* Patient presenting to the WellSpan York Hospital ED
* Patient requiring IV analgesia or oral opioid to control pain related to rib fractures

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age \<18 years
* Inability to provide informed consent
* Allergy to local anesthesia
* Subsequent visit for rib fractures
* Patients taken emergently to the OR or discharged from the ED
* Significant distracting injuries/polytrauma that would not be expected to be responsive to analgesia from SAPB and confound pain scores, i.e. long bone fractures, intraabdominal injuries, etc.

About the study

This study is a single center, randomized controlled trial examining the effect of serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) on pain, PIC scores and other clinical outcomes in emergency department patients with multiple rib fractures in comparison to the use of analgesic medication alone.

Objectives

1. Compare SAPB performed in the ED setting to analgesic medication alone with regard to pain, respiratory status and PIC score of patients with multiple rib fractures. 2. Assess the safety and feasibility of performing ultrasound-guided SAPB in the ED. 3. Evaluate outcomes of patients receiving the SAPB in the ED including amount of analgesic medications used, level of care required, need for upgrading level of care, and length of stay.

What is being tested

• Serratus Anterior Plane Block (SAPB) (procedure)
• Standard Analgesic Medications (drug)

Sponsor: WellSpan Health · Participants: 60 · Started: Mar 31, 2023

Contact the study team

• Daniel Kreider, MD · Phone: 717-851-5817
• Brent Becker, MD · Phone: 717-851-4819

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05748366

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 1, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.