Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

NCT07576712 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: TAP Block
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This non-randomized controlled study evaluated the efficacy of a right-sided unilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block for postoperative pain management in 60 adult patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Participants were equally divided into a control group receiving standard care and an intervention group that received an ultrasound-guided TAP block using 0.25% bupivacaine prior to extubation. While all patients received scheduled paracetamol and dexketoprofen, tramadol was administered as a rescue analgesic for resting pain scores of 5 or higher. The study's primary goal was to compare postoperative pain using the Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (VNRS) at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours, with secondary outcomes tracking total rescue tramadol consumption, surgical variables, and postoperative complications to determine the TAP block's overall clinical benefit.

Conditions

Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain scale measurements

  Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (from 0-10) for pain

  24 hours

Study Arms (2)

TAP Block Group

Patients with TAP block

Other: TAP Block

Control Group

Patients without TAP block

Interventions

TAP Block OTHER

The TAP block was performed during the post-anesthesia phase before extubation. The procedure involved the use of an ultrasound system and a linear ultrasound transducer. To perform the TAP block, the linear probe was positioned 2 cm below the xiphoid to locate the rectus abdominis muscle and fascia. Moving the probe in a downward and lateral direction, the external oblique, internal oblique, and transversus abdominis muscles and fascia were identified over the oblique subcostal angle. A 1-2 ml dose of 2% lidocaine was then applied at the insertion site of the peripheral block needle. With the probe in the oblique subcostal position, the peripheral block needle was carefully advanced along the fascia of the transversus abdominis and internal oblique muscles, from the medial to the inferolateral area of the probe.

TAP Block Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients who have cholelithiasis

You may qualify if:

• individuals aged 18 years or older, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy to treat cholelithiasis, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of I or II, with no communication barriers, able to cooperate during the intervention, and understanding the use of relevant assessment scales

You may not qualify if:

• individuals with contraindications to nerve block, such as infection at the puncture site; those diagnosed with malignancy; individuals suffering from severe liver and kidney diseases, coagulation dysfunction, or similar conditions; individuals with a history of previous abdominal surgery or trauma; long-term users of sedative and analgesic drugs, or those with addiction to alcohol, sedatives, or analgesics; individuals experiencing chronic pain; those with known allergies to the drugs used in the study; individuals with mental illnesses that interfere with perception and pain assessment; individuals taking analgesics prior to surgery; individuals with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35; patients who were converted from laparoscopic surgery to open surgery; perforation of the gallbladder during cholecystectomy; women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and patients who withdrew their consent at any stage of the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Esencan Hospital: lead
• Istanbul Training and Research Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul Training and Research Hospital

Istanbul, 34098, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Grape S, Kirkham KR, Akiki L, Albrecht E. Transversus abdominis plane block versus local anesthetic wound infiltration for optimal analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. J Clin Anesth. 2021 Dec;75:110450. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2021.110450. Epub 2021 Jul 6.

  PMID: 34243030 BACKGROUND

• Wang W, Wang L, Gao Y. A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Concerning the Efficacy of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Pain Control After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Front Surg. 2021 Aug 4;8:700318. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2021.700318. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 34422893 BACKGROUND

• Karasu D, Yilmaz C, Ozgunay SE, Yalcin D, Ozkaya G. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A retrospective study. North Clin Istanb. 2020 Nov 24;8(1):88-94. doi: 10.14744/nci.2020.84665. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 33623879 BACKGROUND

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 1, 2026
• First Posted: May 8, 2026
• Study Start: May 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 15, 2023
• Study Completion: August 15, 2023
• Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Locations

TU (1)