For Healthcare Professionals

The objective of The BLOCK Trial is to assess the benefits and harms of an ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block for non-frail patients with a distal radius fracture (DRF), undergoing initial closed reduction compared to standard care.

We aim to explore if the brachial plexus block can ultimately reduce the need for surgery, and improve pain management and functional outcomes for non-frail patients with DRFs.

The BLOCK Trial is the largest interdisciplinary study of its kind, uniting the fields of anaesthesiology, orthopaedic surgery, and emergency medicine. Together, we aim to discover the optimal approach for treating patients with DRF.

The BLOCK Trial is initiated by the departments of anaesthesiology and orthopaedic surgery of Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød.

The BLOCK Trial is a national multicentre collaboration, bringing together trial sites from all regions across Denmark.

You can find out more about the teams behind the trial on the team page.

The BLOCK Trial is endorsed by the Collaboration for Evidence-based Practice and Research in Anaesthesia, CEPRA, the Danish Society of Emergency Medicine, DASEM and the Danish Osteoporosis Association.

We are including non-frail adult patients with a DRF who require a closed reduction in the emergency department.

The inclusion is being restricted to patients with a clinical frailty scale score < 4, as there is currently a discussion about how best to treat frail patients regarding surgery.