Comparison of Topical Vasoconstriction in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01706952 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : October 15, 2012
Results First Posted : May 3, 2017
Last Update Posted : May 3, 2017
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Chronic Sinusitis | Drug: Cocaine Drug: Adrenaline | Phase 4 |
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common chronic illnesses in North America, with an incidence of approximately 13 per cent in the US.
Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) has become standard treatment for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) unresponsive to maximum medical treatment. The success of surgery depends on several factors, an adequate surgical field is among the most important factors in preventing complications in ESS.
Topical vasoconstrictors, such as adrenaline and cocaine has been widely used. To date no studies exist comparing the use of topical cocaine with adrenaline in ESS.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of topical cocaine 4% versus adrenaline on intra-operative bleeding during ESS and to describe the phisiologic changes with the use of topical vasocontrictors. A secondary objective is to describe the phisiologic changes with the use of topical vasocontrictors
Study Design:
A prospective randomized single-blind controlled trial will be conducted. The surgeon performing the ESS and evaluating the bleeding will not be present at the time of injection, and so will remain blinded.
All patients over the age of 18 years undergoing bilateral ESS for chronic sinusitis at McGill University Health Center will be invited to participate. The study will be conducted from November 2012 until the number required of patients is enrolled.
Topical vasoconstriction technique After oral intubation, vital signs and all anaesthetic parameters will be kept as constant as possible for the duration of the surgery. Three cotton neuropatties will be soaked with 4% cocaine. One neuropattie will be placed in the sphenoethmoidal recess, one in the middle meatus, and one in the anterior end of the middle turbinates on the side that the randomization has determined. In the other side, three cotton neuropaties will be soaked with adrenaline 1:1000 and placed in the same positions than the others. Then the patient will be draped and both sides will be injected with xylocaine 2% and adrenaline 1:100.000. After this we will wait for 10 minutes and the surgery will be initiated.
At the commencement of surgery and at regular 15-minute intervals, the operating surgeon will estimate the intensity of bleeding in the operative field. The extent of nasal bleeding will be evaluated according to the validated scale used by Boezaart. At each assessment, other parameters including mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate, and end tidal CO2 will be recorded into a chart by the co-investigator.
The total blood loss will be collected and recorded separately for each side. Separate suction tubes and canisters will be used for each side. The total blood loss will be measured by subtracting the amount of saline solution used to rinse the surgical field from the amount of blood and fluids suctioned from the surgical field. Although this method of estimating the intra operative blood loss is not flawless as some blood and fluids usually fall posteriorly into the nasopharynx and are later suctioned by the anesthesiologist prior to extubation, this amount is deemed to be negligible.
Proposed data analysis: The data will be collected by the co-investigator. Patient names and other specific identifiers will not be included. Data will be entered into an Excel spreadsheet and statistical analysis will be applied with SPSS vs.13.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 45 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Care Provider) |
Primary Purpose: | Other |
Official Title: | Comparison of Topical Vasoconstriction in Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Cocaine Versus Adrenaline |
Study Start Date : | December 2012 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | December 2013 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2013 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Cocaine
Cocaine 4%. Three cotton neuropatties will be soaked with 4% cocaine. One neuropattie will be placed in the sphenoethmoidal recess, one in the middle meatus, and one in the anterior end of the middle turbinates on the side that the randomization has determined. This intervention will be done before the beginning of the surgery, and will be left in the nose for 10 minutes, this will be done just once. After the 10 minutes, the neuropatties will be taken out of the nose. |
Drug: Cocaine
Pledgets soaked in 4% cocaine hydrochloride solution were placed intranasally (one side).
Other Names:
Drug: Adrenaline Pledgets soaked in 1/1000 adrenaline solution were placed intranasally (one side).
Other Name: Epinephrine |
Active Comparator: Adrenaline
Adrenaline 1/1.000 Three cotton neuropatties will be soaked with Adrenaline 1/1,000. One neuropattie will be placed in the sphenoethmoidal recess, one in the middle meatus, and one in the anterior end of the middle turbinates on the side that the randomization has determined. This will be done before the beginning of the surgery, and will be left in the nose for 10 minutes, this will be done just once. After the 10 minutes, the neuropatties will be taken out of the nose. |
Drug: Cocaine
Pledgets soaked in 4% cocaine hydrochloride solution were placed intranasally (one side).
Other Names:
Drug: Adrenaline Pledgets soaked in 1/1000 adrenaline solution were placed intranasally (one side).
Other Name: Epinephrine |
- To Estimate the Change in Bleeding Category (Surgical Field Improvement) as Measured on a Six-point Scale, Measured From 0 (Best Case) to 5 (Worst Case). [ Time Frame: Every 15 minutes until 300 minutes ]
0 No bleeding.
- Slight bleeding - no suctioning of blood required.
- Slight bleeding - occasional suctioning required. Surgical field not threatened.
- Slight bleeding - frequent suctioning required. Bleeding threatens surgical field a few seconds after suction is removed.
- Moderate bleeding - frequent suctioning required. Bleeding threatens surgical field directly after suction is removed.
- Severe bleeding - constant suctioning required. Bleeding appears faster than can be removed by suction. Surgical field severely threatened and surgery not possible.
For the primary objective of surgical field grade, we calculated the mean within sides treated with cocaine vs adrenaline and assessed its difference
- Heart Rate [ Time Frame: Every 15 minutes until 300 minutes ]
The heart rate (heart beats for minutes) will be recorded every 15 minutes, until the surgery is over or until 300 minutes.
The Co-investigator will record this data in a special data sheeet For the secondary objective of Heart rate, we calculated the average within sides treated with cocaine vs adrenaline and assessed its difference
- Blood Pressure [ Time Frame: Every 15 minutes or until 300 minutes ]
The mean blood pressure, defined as the average arterial pressure during a single cardiac cycle, will be recorded every 15 minutes, until the surgery is over or until 300 minutes.
For the secondary objective of blood pressure, we calculated the mean within sides treated with cocaine vs adrenaline and assessed its difference
- End Tidal CO2 [ Time Frame: Every 15 minutes or until 300 minutes ]
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the respiratory gases will be recorded every 15 minutes or until 300 minutes.
For the secondary objective of concentration of carbon dioxide, we calculated the mean within sides treated with cocaine vs adrenaline and assessed its difference

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients older than 18 years undergoing bilateral ESS for chronic sinusitis.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients with heart disease
- History of bleeding diathesis
- Patients with untreated or poorly controlled high blood pressure
- Aspirin, anticoagulant or natural herbal medication usage in the last 4 weeks
- Hypersensitivity to adrenaline or cocaine
- Significant asymmetry between the right and left side disease extent as determine by findings on their pre-operative CT scan and nasal endoscopy.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01706952
Canada, Quebec | |
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. McGill University Health Center | |
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1A1 |
Principal Investigator: | Marc A Tewfik, MD | McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre | |
Study Chair: | Constanza J Valdes, MD | McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre | |
Study Chair: | Mark Samaha, MD | McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre |
Responsible Party: | Marc Tewfik, Principal Investigator, McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01706952 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
12-251-SDR |
First Posted: | October 15, 2012 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | May 3, 2017 |
Last Update Posted: | May 3, 2017 |
Last Verified: | March 2017 |
Endoscopic sinus surgery Bleeding Topical Vasocontriction Cocaine Adrenaline |
Sinusitis Respiratory Tract Infections Infections Paranasal Sinus Diseases Nose Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Epinephrine Racepinephrine Cocaine Pharmaceutical Solutions Epinephryl borate Adrenergic alpha-Agonists Adrenergic Agonists Adrenergic Agents |
Neurotransmitter Agents Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Physiological Effects of Drugs Adrenergic beta-Agonists Bronchodilator Agents Autonomic Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Anti-Asthmatic Agents Respiratory System Agents Mydriatics Sympathomimetics Vasoconstrictor Agents Anesthetics, Local Anesthetics Central Nervous System Depressants |