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Research

Study Database

Click on each heading to see the trials that RA-UK research database members are running or setting up. Information for each project lead is made available, and studies that are actively recruiting new sites are indicated. The lead for Research at RA-UK is Associate Professor David Hewson from Nottingham. For questions about the research network, please contact us via support

Randomised Controlled Trials

Study name CAMELOT
Study type multi centre RCT
Brief study description  To establish if the use of rectus sheath catheter (RSC) delivered local anaesthetic (LA) infusion in addition to standard analgesia, is superior to standard analgesia without RSC, as defined by the Overall Benefit of Analgesia Score (OBAS) over the first 5 postoperative days.
Primary outcome(s)  Overall Benefit of Analgesia Score (OBAS) over the first 5 postoperative days. OBAS is a patient-reported composite endpoint of pain scores, opioid side-effects, and patient satisfaction (range 0 [best] to 28 [worst]).
Estimated recruitment target 750
Study start date Jan-23
Estimated completion date Sept-25
Adding centres? Yes
Study URL  https://bristoltrialscentre.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/details-of-studies/camelot/
Study twitter handle @CamelotStudy
PI Mark Edwards
PI email  camelot-trial@bristol.ac.uk
Co-investigators  Ronelle Mouton

Study name ERASER
Study type multi centre RCT
Brief study description   Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Serratus Anterior Plane Block (SAP) with Catheter Insertion compared to Usual Care in Patients with Multiple Rib Fractures (MRF).
Primary outcome(s)   rates of pneumonia 5 days after randomisation
Estimated recruitment target 824
Study start date Mar-22
Estimated completion date 
Adding centres? Yes
Study URL  https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/bctu/trials/portfolio-v/eraser/index.aspx
Study twitter handle 
PI Tony Veenith
PI email  eraser@trials.bham.ac.uk
Co-investigators  Outcome  

Anaesthesia Choice for Creation of Arteriovenous Fistulae (ACCESS)

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Study name Anaesthesia Choice for Creation of Arteriovenous Fistulae (ACCESS)
Study type Multicentre RCT
Brief study description  Adult patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who require primary radio- (RCF) or brachio-cephalic fistula (BCF) creation. RA (US guided BPB) vs LA infiltration.
Primary outcome(s) Unassisted functional arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency at 1 year
Estimated recruitment target 566
Study start date May-21
Estimated completion date Oct-24 Completed
Adding centres? No
Study URL https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR130567
Study twitter handle access_study
PI Emma Aitken
PI email emma.aitken@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Co-investigators alan.macfarlane@ggc.scot.nhs.uk. Rachel.kearns@ggc.scot.nhs.uk


  • Study name: Anaesthesia Choice for Creation of Arteriovenous Fistulae (ACCESS)
  • Study type: Multicentre RCT
  • Brief study description:  Adult patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who require primary radio- (RCF) or brachio-cephalic fistula (BCF) creation. RA (US guided BPB) vs LA infiltration.
  • Primary outcome(s): Unassisted functional arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency at 1 year
  • Estimated recruitment target: 566
  • Study start date: May-21
  • Estimated completion date: Oct-24 (Completed)
  • Adding centres?: No
  • Study URL: https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR130567
  • Study twitter handle: access_study
  • PI: Emma Aitken
  • PI email: emma.aitken@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
  • Co-investigators: alan.macfarlane@ggc.scot.nhs.uk & Rachel.kearns@ggc.scot.nhs.uk 

  • Study name: Erector Spinae Plane blocks for the Early Analgesia of Rib fractures in trauma: a multicentre pilot randomised controlled trial with feasibility and embedded qualitative assessment.
  • Study type: multicentre feasibility RCT
  • Brief study description: Adult patients admitted to major trauma centres with rib fractures randomised on admission to either ESP catheter plus multimodal analgesia or sham-ESP catheter plus multimodal analgesia
  • Primary outcome(s): Recruitment and retention rates vs target to determine feasibility of definitive trial
  • Estimated recruitment target: 50
  • Study start date: Nov-21
  • Estimated completion date: Nov-23
  • Adding centres?: No
  • Study URL: nil
  • Study twitter handle: nil
  • PI: David Hewson
  • PI email: david.hewson@nottingham.ac.uk
  • Co-investigators: nigel.bedforth@nuh.nhs.uk,  benjamin.ollivere@nottingham.ac.uk & matthew.costa@ndorms.ox.ac.uk 

Observational trials

Study name: SABRE: Serratus Anterior Block and catheter use in Rib fractures in the Emergency department
Study type: 
Brief study description:
Primary outcome(s): Morphine use via a PCA pump.
Estimated recruitment target: 100
Study start date:
Estimated completion date: 2023
Adding centres?:
Study URL:
Study twitter handle:
PI: Boyne Bellew
PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
Co-investigators: Dr William Harrop-Griffith, Dr Glenn Arnold, Dr Asela Dharmadasa, Dr Anne Tay

  • Study name: What are the predictors of pain trajectories after foot surgery?
  • Study type: Observational
  • Brief study description: Investigation of psychological and physical predictors of pain trajectories within first 30 days after foot surgery
  • Primary outcome(s): Pain, MOXFQ
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date: Jan-18
  • Estimated completion date:
  • Adding centres?: Yes
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Graeme McLeod
  • PI email: g.a.mcleod@dundee.ac.uk
  • Co-investigators:

Translational/Lab based studies

  • Study name: Development of ultrasound at end of needle
  • Study type: Laboratory
  • Brief study description: Build of 48 element ultrasound epidural needle
  • Primary outcome(s): Proof of concept
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date: Jan-15
  • Estimated completion date:
  • Adding centres?: Heriot Watt
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Graeme McLeod
  • Pl Email: g.amai.mcleod@dundee.ac.uk
  • Co-investigators

  • Study name: Recognition of interscalene and scaitic nerves on ultrasound images using Artificial Intelligence.
  • Study type: Translational
  • Brief study description: Artificial intelligence recognition of nerves
  • Primary outcome(s): Recognition of nerve
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date: Jun-19
  • Estimated completion date: Open
  • Adding centres?: Napier
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Graeme McLeod
  • PI email: g.a.mcleod@dundee.ac.uk
  • Co-investigators:

Study name: Development of educational models using augmented and virtual reality.
Study type: Translational
Brief study: description Building 3D interactive virtual neuraxis
Primary outcome(s): Viirtual CT neuraxis
Estimated recruitment target:
Study start date: Jun-21
Estimated completion date:
Adding centres?: No
Study URL:
Study twitter handle:
PI: Graeme McLeod
PI email: g.a.mcleod@dundee.ac.uk 
Co-investigators

Uncategorised

  • Study name: Inconsistency in Anatomical Structure Identification during Plan A Blocks in Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anaesthesia: Comparing Clinical Opinion to the Published Literature
  • Study type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): Consistency of anatomical structure identification in these blocks, thus assessing ultrasound image acquisition and interpretation.
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date:
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Dr FA Cook, Dr M Murali, Dr S Habib, Dr S Haddad, Dr J Brandreth, Dr James Bowness

  • Study name: A pilot study of a Community of Practice for Regional Anaesthesia (CoP-RA): A forum to facilitate shared decision makingStudy type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): Determine if a CoP-RA affects patients’ perceptions and beliefs about anaesthesia, Evaluate patient engagement with a CoP – RA , Determine if a CoP-RA affects patients’ choice of mode of anaesthesia
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date: 2022/2023
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Prof Alun Davies, Prof William Harrop-Griffiths, Mr Usman Jaffer, Dr Christopher Mullington, Dr Enrique Castro-Sánchez

  • Study name: CIA: Consent in Anaesthesia
  • Study type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): Patient’s satisfaction as measured by the validated CSQ-8 questionnaire
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date: est 2022
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Dr Anne Tay, Dr Aditya Pal, Dr Candice Ramdin, Dr Andrew McGrath

  • Study name: URAISE: Ultrasound Regional Anaesthesia Interpretation Skill Evaluation
  • Study type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): Development of a validated, reliable and defensible tool to test ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia image interpretation skills.
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date: 2021-22
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Dr FA Cook, Dr M Murali, Dr S Habib, Dr S Haddad, Dr J Brandreth, Dr Amit Pawa, Dr AJ MacFarlane, Dr Peter Merjavy, Dr Madan Narayanan, Dr Lloyd Turbitt, Dr James Bowness, Prof William Harrop-Griffiths

  • Study name: Pilot Study to Validate a Goal-Directed Pre-ne:edling Session in Regional Anaesthesia Training
  • Study type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): Time (in seconds) required to complete the ultrasound-guided needling skills assessment on the simulated phantom.
  • Estimated recruitment target 36
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date: est 2022 if restarted
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Dr Anne Tay, Dr Robert Pilling, Dr Rebecca Smith, Dr Seth Galton, Dr Richard Doyle

  • Study name: STAIRS Pilot: Smartphone Technology and Applications to Improve quality of Recovery from Surgery
  • Study type:
  • Brief study description:
  • Primary outcome(s): QoR-40 at Day 7
  • Estimated recruitment target:
  • Study start date:
  • Estimated completion date: 2021-22
  • Adding centres?:
  • Study URL:
  • Study twitter handle:
  • PI: Boyne Bellew
  • PI email: boyne.bellew@nhs.net
  • Co-investigators: Dr Anne Tay, Dr Kenneth Murray, Dr Rita Agarwala

Completed