Bilateral TAP and RS Blocks Using Liposomal Bupivacaine/Bupivacaine vs. Regular Bupivacaine in Laparoscopic Colectomy

Phase 4

Recruiting

• Conditions: Bowel Disease
• Interventions: Drug: Liposomal Bupivicaine/Bupivacaine Admixture; Drug: Bupivacaine HCL

• Registration Number: NCT05224089
• Lead Sponsor: Hartford Hospital

Brief Summary

This study will be a single center, prospective triple blinded randomized controlled study, comparing the use of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) to regular bupivacaine with adjuncts in bilateral mid-abdominal transverse abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy procedures.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-11-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-02-03
• Study First Posted: 2022-02-04
• Study Start: 2022-04-27
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-28
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-02
• Primary Completion: 2025-11
• Study Completion: 2026-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 114

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic colectomy surgery to be performed by one of the 4 colorectal surgeons in the study.
• English speaking patients
• Patients with American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status score I- IV

Exclusion Criteria

1. Emergency laparoscopic colectomy surgery
2. Patients with distant metastatic cancers (e.g. bone, lung, brain).
3. Scheduled for multi organs resection surgery in addition to colectomy.
4. Patients with contraindications to TAP or RS blocks including but not limited to anatomical abnormality, previous surgical intervention that limits or prevents receiving bilateral TAP blocks (e.g. surgical mesh at the site of TAP or RS block), or infection at the injection site.
5. Current colostomies.
6. History of allergy to local anesthetics.
7. Coagulopathy or coagulation disorder. Also patients who are receiving antithrombotic medications as a contraindication to receiving single shot peripheral nerve blockade as per the most recent American Society of Regional Anesthesiology (ASRA) guidelines.16
8. Weight < 40 kg, as 40 mL of Bupivacaine 0.25%, or combination of 20 mL of bupivacaine 0.25% with 20 mL of liposomal bupivacaine is greater than the maximal dose allowed, given concern for local anesthetic toxicity.
9. Patients who take long acting opioid medication, or on continuous opioid > 50 MME per day for at least 30 days within 90 days prior to surgery. Also patients who have chronic pain syndrome with a recent preoperative consultation to the chronic pain service.
10. Patients with current substance abuse, or history of substance abuse within 3 months, this includes any illicit drugs or excessive alcohol consumption as defined 4 or more drinks per day or 8 or more drinks per week for women and 5 or more drinks per day or 15 or more drinks per week for men.15
11. Pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant during the study or within 1 month postoperatively
12. Refusal or lack of providing the study consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Liposomal Bupivacaine/Bupivacaine HCL	Liposomal Bupivicaine/Bupivacaine Admixture	20mL 1.3% Exparel (266mg) + 60mL 0.25% bupivacaine (150mg) + 20mL normal saline. Total 100mL divided into 10mL syringes, 30 mL left TAP, 30mL right TAP, 20mL left rectus, 20mL right rectus.
Liposomal Bupivacaine/Bupivacaine HCL	Bupivacaine HCL	20mL 1.3% Exparel (266mg) + 60mL 0.25% bupivacaine (150mg) + 20mL normal saline. Total 100mL divided into 10mL syringes, 30 mL left TAP, 30mL right TAP, 20mL left rectus, 20mL right rectus.
Regular Bupivacaine Arm	Bupivacaine HCL	80mL 0.25% bupivacaine (200mg) + 300mcg (0.3mL) epinephrine + 5mg (0.5mL) preservative free dexamethasone + 20mL of normal saline. Total 100mL divided into 10mL syringes, 30mL left TAP, 30mL right TAP, 20mL left rectus, 20mL right rectus.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The highest Numerical Pain Scores	3 days	To compare the highest (worst) pain reported for the period of 48-72 hours post-surgery.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The highest Numerical Pain Scores for the period of 0-47 hours	up to 3 days	To compare the highest (worst) pain reported for the period of 48-72 hours post-surgery by patients in the two groups, using the Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form), this measurement will be done at the 26th and 50th postoperative hour with a range on +3/-2 hours.
All pain scores, mild-moderate-severe.	up to 72 postoperative hours	Proportion of patients experiencing moderate or severe pain, the scores will be grouped such that 1-3 is considered mild pain, 4-6 moderate pain, and 7-10 severe pain.
Postoperative opioid consumption measured in morphine MilliEquivalent (MME)	Up to 6 days post surgery.	Postoperative total opioid consumption measured in morphine MilliEquivalent (MME) will be collected starting from the time in post-anaesthesia care unit up to the first 6 postoperative days. Patients will continue to report their opioid consumption after discharge days using the pain and medication diary up to 6 days post-surgery.
Block complications	Up to 30 postoperative days	The occurrence of block complications will be collected intraoperative and postoperative period including post-anesthesia care unit, daily in patient period, the day of discharge, and at the time of the post-operative follow-up visit. Readmissions within 30 days after discharge will also be collected.
Postoperative nausea/vomiting scores	30 days	Using a validated measure; the Simplified (Post-operative nausea and vomiting Impact Scale 17 which consists of two questions, each with a possible response score of 0-3. Response score totals of 0-2 require no intervention. Response score totals of 3-4 may necessitate antiemetic medication. Response score totals of 5-6 are considered clinically important nausea requiring medication intervention, as this would constitute patients with excessive vomiting. This form will be completed either by the assigned nurse or the study coordinator immediately after surgery in the post-anesthesia care unit, postoperative day#1, postoperative day#2, postoperative day#3, and during the first follow up visit.
Hospital and post-anesthesia care unit length of stay	6 days	Hospital length of stay will be calculated in hours from the date and time of admission and discharge from the electronic medical records. post-anesthesia care unit length of stay will be calculated in minutes using the post-anesthesia care unit data collection sheet and from the electronic medical records.
Duration of the study block using the sensory function test	Pre-block intervention, immediately after surgery, up to 3 days	The preoperative sensory function test will be assessed prior to the block by the anesthesiologist performing the block while the postoperative assessment at the post-anesthesia care unit will be used as baseline to be compared with the following sensory tests to assess the duration of sensory nerve block, using post-anesthesia care unit and In-Patient Post-Operative Data Collection Sheet.
Patient Overall Satisfaction	30 days	A scale from 0 = very dissatisfied to 10 = very satisfied, this will be evaluated on day of discharge and on the first postoperative clinic visit either in person or through a phone call.
Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form)	On the day of first postoperative visit, the end of the 6th and 12th postoperative months	A validated scale that rapidly assesses pain severity and its impact on functioning. It consists of a 2-page questionnaire that asks patients to report the location and severity of their pain, and to report the interference of pain, if any, on their activities over the previous 24 hours. Four questions ask patients to rate the severity of their pain on a scale of 1-10 over the previous 24 hours in 4 discrete categories: worst, least, average, and right now. Each rating is analyzed separately. Seven questions ask patients to rate how severely their pain has interfered with their general activity, mood, walking ability, normal work, relations with other people, sleep, and enjoyment of life on a scale of 1-10 over the previous 24 hours. These 7 questions are scored as a mean of the answers given, as long as at least 4 questions are answered. Two other questions ask patients to list the treatments or medications they are currently using, and to rate how much relief these are providing.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hartford Hospital; 🇺🇸 Hartford, Connecticut, United States