Quadratus Lumborum Block, Transversus Abdominis Plane Block, and Erector Spinae Block in Pediatric Abdominal Surgery

September 23, 2026 updated by: Ahmed Hassan Ahmed Tawfeek, Menoufia University

Comparing Quadratus Lumborum Block, Transversus Abdominis Plane Block, and Erector Spinae Block in Pediatric Abdominal Surgery

The aim of this study is to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of Quadratus Lumborum (QL), Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP), and Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) blocks in pediatric abdominal surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Advances in perioperative care of children continue to be made with increasing evidence-based practice for postoperative analgesia. However, moderate to severe pain is still experienced by up to 40% of hospitalized children and specific high-risk populations or types of surgery continue to present challenges.

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block involves the injection of local anesthesia (LA) in between the transversus abdominis (TA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles.

The Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) block is most often performed using an in-plane ultrasound-guided technique. It is a paraspinal fascial plane block in which the needle placement is between the erector spinae muscle and the thoracic transverse processes, and a local anesthetic is administered, blocking the dorsal and ventral rami of the thoracic and abdominal spinal nerves.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
    • Menoufia
      • Shibīn al Kawm, Menoufia, Egypt, 32951
        • Menoufia University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

3 years to 12 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children aged from 3 to12 years.
  • Both sexes.
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status I-II.
  • Scheduled for pediatric abdominal surgery.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergy or contraindication to bupivacaine or dexmedetomidine.
  • Coagulopathy.
  • Local infection at the site of the block.
  • Neurological or psychiatric disorders affecting pain perception.
  • Refusal of the regional technique by parents/guardians.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: QL Group

Patients received quadratus lumborum (QL) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg.
Drug: Quadratus lumborum (QL) block

Patients received quadratus lumborum (QL) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg.

Other Names:
  • Bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg
Experimental: TAP group

Patients received transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg
Drug: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block

Patients received transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg.

Other Names:
  • Bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg
Experimental: ES Group

Patients received erector spinae plane (ESP) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg.
Drug: Erector spinae plane (ESP) block

Patients received erector spinae plane (ESP) block with bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg.

Other Names:
  • Bupivacaine 0.25% (0.5 ml/kg) + dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Degree of pain
Time Frame: 24 hours postoperatively

Degree of pain will be assessed using Wong-Baker FACES for the first 24 hours postoperative at 4, 8,12,16 and 24 hours postoperatively.

Wong-Baker FACES Pain Scale, which utilizes a series of 6 faces increasing in pain severity may be used to facilitate communication and assist in pain assessment .
24 hours postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Total fentanyl consumption
Time Frame: Intraoperatively

If patient require analgesia during surgery (diagnosed by increasing heart rate and blood pressure) fentanyl 1mic/kg will be given, and total analgesic consumption will be calculated and recorded.
Intraoperatively
Heart rate
Time Frame: Till the end of surgery (Up to 2 hours)

Heart rate will be recorded every 15 minutes till the end of surgery.
Till the end of surgery (Up to 2 hours)
Mean arterial blood pressure
Time Frame: Till the end of surgery (Up to 2 hours)

Mean arterial blood pressure will be recorded every 15 minutes till the end of surgery.
Till the end of surgery (Up to 2 hours)
Time of each block
Time Frame: Intraoperatively

Time of each block will be recorded from using ultrasound probe till injection of local anaesthetic
Intraoperatively
Sedation score
Time Frame: 24 hours postoperatively

Sedation score will be recorded at 0, 15 min ,30 min postoperative 0=no sedation (wide awake).

=slightly sedated (easy to arouse) 2=moderately sedated(easy to arouse but cannot stay awake) 3=heavy sedated (difficult to arouse)
24 hours postoperatively
Time to first rescue analgesia
Time Frame: 24 hours postoperatively

Time to first rescue analgesia will be recorded from the end of surgery till first dose of morphine administrated.
24 hours postoperatively
Total morphine consumption
Time Frame: 24 hours postoperatively

If the pain score more than or equal to 4), opioid (morphine) 0.5 to 1 mg/kg will be given and total dose will be calculated
24 hours postoperatively
Incidence of postoperative complications
Time Frame: 24 hours postoperatively

Incidence of postoperative complications such as hypotension, nausea and vomiting will be recorded.
24 hours postoperatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Menoufia University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 23, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 12/2024 ANET 32

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

After the end of study for one year.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings