Can Ultrasound-Guided Fascial Plane Blocks Reduce Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Major Abdominal Surgery?

NCT07394816 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025-12/186
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate whether the use of ultrasound-guided fascial plane blocks is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Patients will be observed in two groups based on routine clinical practice: those who receive an ultrasound-guided fascial plane block for postoperative analgesia and those managed with other standard analgesic methods. The choice of analgesic technique will be determined by the responsible anesthesia team and not influenced by the study. Postoperative pulmonary complications occurring within the first 7 days after surgery will be recorded using reopening the European Perioperative Clinical Outcome (EPCO) criteria. Secondary outcomes will include unplanned intensive care unit admission, length of hospital stay, and 30-day mortality. No additional procedures or interventions will be performed for research purposes.

Conditions

Postoperative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs); Abdominal Surgeries; Postoperative Pain Management

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs)

  Postoperative pulmonary complications will be defined and recorded according to the European Perioperative Clinical Outcome (EPCO) criteria.

  Within the first 7 postoperative days

Study Arms (2)

Fascial Plane Block Group

Patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery who receive an ultrasound-guided fascial plane block at the end of surgery as part of routine clinical practice for postoperative analgesia. The decision to perform the block is made by the responsible anesthesia team and is not influenced by the study protocol.

Control Group

Patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery who do not receive an ultrasound-guided fascial plane block and are managed with other routine postoperative analgesic methods, including epidural analgesia, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, or oral analgesics, according to standard clinical practice.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of patients aged 65 years and older who are scheduled to undergo elective major abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Eligible participants will be managed in a tertiary care hospital and will be allocated to either a fascial plane block group or a control group receiving standard perioperative analgesia. The study aims to evaluate postoperative outcomes in an elderly surgical population with comparable baseline characteristics.

You may qualify if:

• Age 65 years or older
• Scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery (e.g., colorectal, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, or gastric surgery)
• ASA physical status II-III
• Ability to provide written informed consent
• Planned use of general anesthesia with or without adjunct regional techniques

You may not qualify if:

• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent
• Known allergy or contraindication to local anesthetics
• Coagulopathy or ongoing anticoagulant therapy contraindicating regional anesthesia
• Infection at the site of planned block
• Pre-existing chronic opioid use or chronic pain syndrome
• Severe hepatic, renal, or cardiac failure (e.g., Child-Pugh C, end-stage renal disease, EF \<30%)
• Cognitive impairment or severe dementia preventing adequate pain assessment
• Emergency surgery
• Body mass index (BMI \> 40 kg/m²)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dr Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Hospital

Yenimahalle, Ankara, 06370, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• arif timuroglu

  Dr. Abdurrahman yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

arif timuroglu

CONTACT

+905072601980; ariftimuroglu@yahoo.com

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Specialist in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 31, 2026
• First Posted: February 6, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 15, 2026
• Last Updated: April 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)