Comparison of TAP, Anterior QL, or ESP Block for Elective Cesarean Section

The purpose of this prospective single center, randomized study is to determine if ultrasound guided Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP), Quadratus Lumborum (QL), and Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) blocks decrease opioid consumption in subjects undergoing elective cesarean section.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Pain, Postoperative; Cesarean Section
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ropivacaine; Procedure: TAP block; Biological: QL block; Procedure: ESP block

Detailed Description

The typical anesthetic for cesarean section at Duke University Hospital includes a spinal or combined spinal epidural anesthetic with intrathecal dosing of 1.4-1.6 mL bupivacaine HCl 0.75%, 15 mcg fentanyl, and 150 mcg morphine. If the epidural component of a combined spinal epidural anesthetic is used, the subject will be withdrawn from the study. Patients also receive rectal acetaminophen 975 mg prior to incision; intravenous (IV) ondansetron 4 mg, IV metoclopramide 10 mg, IV famotidine 20 mg and IV dexamethasone 4 mg intraoperatively; and IV ketorolac 15 mg prior to skin closure. There will be no change to this typical practice.

Patients who consent to be in this study will be randomized to receive one of three truncal nerve blocks using an online randomization program by the study PI (AK/EG): (1) ultrasound-guided bilateral classic TAP block; (2) ultrasound-guided bilateral anterior QL (also known as transmuscular or QL type 3) block; (3) ultrasound-guided bilateral ESP block at the level of T9. These nerve blocks will be performed after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side. Nerve blocks will be performed by a dedicated and trained group of regional anesthesiologists. This non-blinded regional anesthesiologist will save an ultrasound image after local anesthetic administration while the needle is still in position on each side. The study team will review these images to ensure a high quality of block performance.

Patients will have standard postoperative pain medication orders, including acetaminophen 975 mg PO Q6H for 4 days (scheduled, starting 6 hours after intraoperative rectal dose), ketorolac 15 mg IV Q6H for 24 hours (scheduled, starting 6 hours after intraoperative dose), ibuprofen 600 mg PO Q6H for 3 days (scheduled, starting 24 hours after first dose of ketorolac) and oxycodone 5-10mg PO Q3-4H PRN for 4 days. If patients are unable to tolerate oral medication or oxycodone is insufficient, rescue medications may be ordered: IV morphine 1-2 mg or IV hydromorphone 0.3-0.5 mg Q4H as needed. There is no change from the standard postoperative order sets used for patients after cesarean section.

Subjects' verbal pain scores at rest and with movement as well as opioid consumption will be recorded at 2, 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Additionally, the amount of antiemetics and antipruritics used will also be recorded at the above time points. These scores will be entered into a Duke University Hospital REDCap database. Subjects will also be sent a survey assessing their satisfaction with pain control one week after discharge via email or telephone. This information will be collected via Duke University Hospital REDCap.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
      • Duke University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status 1-3
2. Age greater than or equal to 18 years
3. Scheduled for elective cesarean section
4. English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

1. ASA Physical Status 4-5
2. Diagnosis of chronic pain
3. Chronic opioid use (opioid use in the past 3 months)
4. Preoperative use of SSRIs (Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil), SNRIs (Cymbalta, Effexor), gabapentin, or pregabalin (Lyrica)
5. Inability to cooperate with or understand protocol
6. Inability to communicate pain scores or need for analgesia
7. Infection at the site of block placement
8. Intolerance or allergy to local anesthetics
9. Neurologic deficit or disorder
10. Blood thinning disorder or taking anticoagulant medication
11. BMI > 50 kg/m2
12. Suspected or known addiction to or abuse of illicit drug(s), prescription medicine(s), or alcohol within the past 2 years
13. Uncontrolled anxiety, schizophrenia, or other psychiatric disorder that, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with study assessments or compliance
14. Current or historical evidence of any clinically significant disease or condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may increase the risk of surgery or complicate the subject's postoperative course

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: TAP block; Patients will receive bilateral TAP blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.	Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will be randomly assigned to receive one three blocks (TAP, QL, ESP)after delivery of baby with ropivicaine; Procedure: TAP block; Patient will receive bilateral TAP blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.
Active Comparator: QL block; Patients will receive bilateral QL blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.	Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will be randomly assigned to receive one three blocks (TAP, QL, ESP)after delivery of baby with ropivicaine; Biological: QL block; Patients will receive bilateral QL blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.
Active Comparator: ESP block; Patients will receive bilateral ESP blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.	Drug: Ropivacaine; Patients will be randomly assigned to receive one three blocks (TAP, QL, ESP)after delivery of baby with ropivicaine; Procedure: ESP block; Patients will receive bilateral ESP blocks after delivery and within one hour of skin closure with 25 mL of 0.2% of ropivacaine with epinephrine 1:400,000 per side.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postoperative Opioid Consumption	Amount of opioid in milligrams.	2 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Opioid Consumption	Amount of opioid	6 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Opioid Consumption	Amount of opioid	24 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Opioid Consumption	Amount of opioid	48 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Pain Scores	Visual Analog Scale at rest with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable	2 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Pain Scores	Visual Analog Scale at rest with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable	6 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Pain Scores	Visual Analog Scale at rest with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable	24 hours postoperatively
Postoperative Pain Scores	Visual Analog Scale at rest with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable	48 hours postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants Requiring Antipruritics		2 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antipruritics		6 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antipruritics		24 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antipruritics		48 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antiemetics		2 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antiemetics		6 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antiemetics		24 hours postoperatively
Number of Participants Requiring Antiemetics		48 hours postoperatively
Overall Satisfaction With Pain Control	Satisfaction Rating, with 0 being not at all satisfied and 10 being completely satisfied	1 week postoperatively

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Duke University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Amanda Kumar, MD, Duke

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Chin KJ, Malhas L, Perlas A. The Erector Spinae Plane Block Provides Visceral Abdominal Analgesia in Bariatric Surgery: A Report of 3 Cases. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2017 May/Jun;42(3):372-376. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000581.
• Tulgar S, Selvi O, Kapakli MS. Erector Spinae Plane Block for Different Laparoscopic Abdominal Surgeries: Case Series. Case Rep Anesthesiol. 2018 Feb 18;2018:3947281. doi: 10.1155/2018/3947281. eCollection 2018.
• Kadam VR. Ultrasound guided quadratus lumborum block or posterior transversus abdominis plane block catheter infusion as a postoperative analgesic technique for abdominal surgery. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2015 Jan-Mar;31(1):130-1. doi: 10.4103/0970-9185.150575. No abstract available.
• Blanco R, Ansari T, Riad W, Shetty N. Quadratus Lumborum Block Versus Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Pain After Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2016 Nov/Dec;41(6):757-762. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000495. Erratum In: Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:111.
• Bateman BT, Franklin JM, Bykov K, Avorn J, Shrank WH, Brennan TA, Landon JE, Rathmell JP, Huybrechts KF, Fischer MA, Choudhry NK. Persistent opioid use following cesarean delivery: patterns and predictors among opioid-naive women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Sep;215(3):353.e1-353.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.03.016. Epub 2016 Mar 17.
• Marcus MA, Brodner G. Are opioids contraindicated as postoperative pain relief for patients who are breast-feeding their newborn? Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2001 Jun;14(3):287-9. doi: 10.1097/00001503-200106000-00001. No abstract available.
• Marcus H, Gerbershagen HJ, Peelen LM, Aduckathil S, Kappen TH, Kalkman CJ, Meissner W, Stamer UM. Quality of pain treatment after caesarean section: Results of a multicentre cohort study. Eur J Pain. 2015 Aug;19(7):929-39. doi: 10.1002/ejp.619. Epub 2014 Nov 21.
• Bateman BT, Cole NM, Maeda A, Burns SM, Houle TT, Huybrechts KF, Clancy CR, Hopp SB, Ecker JL, Ende H, Grewe K, Raposo Corradini B, Schoenfeld RE, Sankar K, Day LJ, Harris L, Booth JL, Flood P, Bauer ME, Tsen LC, Landau R, Leffert LR. Patterns of Opioid Prescription and Use After Cesarean Delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jul;130(1):29-35. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002093.
• Osmundson SS, Schornack LA, Grasch JL, Zuckerwise LC, Young JL, Richardson MG. Postdischarge Opioid Use After Cesarean Delivery. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jul;130(1):36-41. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002095.
• Eslamian L, Jalili Z, Jamal A, Marsoosi V, Movafegh A. Transversus abdominis plane block reduces postoperative pain intensity and analgesic consumption in elective cesarean delivery under general anesthesia. J Anesth. 2012 Jun;26(3):334-8. doi: 10.1007/s00540-012-1336-3. Epub 2012 Feb 22.
• Fusco P, Scimia P, Paladini G, Fiorenzi M, Petrucci E, Pozone T, Vacca F, Behr A, Micaglio M, Danelli G, Cofini V, Necozione S, Carta G, Petrini F, Marinangeli F. Transversus abdominis plane block for analgesia after Cesarean delivery. A systematic review. Minerva Anestesiol. 2015 Feb;81(2):195-204. Epub 2014 Apr 16.
• Factor D, Chin KJ. Transversus abdominis plane block in lower segment cesarean section: a question of block failure or lack of efficacy? Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2010 Jul-Aug;35(4):404-5. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0b013e3181e66f01. No abstract available.
• Loane H, Preston R, Douglas MJ, Massey S, Papsdorf M, Tyler J. A randomized controlled trial comparing intrathecal morphine with transversus abdominis plane block for post-cesarean delivery analgesia. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2012 Apr;21(2):112-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2012.02.005. Epub 2012 Mar 10.
• Kadam VR, Howell S. Ultrasound-guided continuous transmuscular quadratus lumborum block- L4 or L2 level catheter insertion for analgesia in open abdominal surgery: Case series. Indian J Anaesth. 2018 Jul;62(7):555-557. doi: 10.4103/ija.IJA_242_18. No abstract available.
• Luis-Navarro JC, Seda-Guzman M, Luis-Moreno C, Chin KJ. Erector spinae plane block in abdominal surgery: Case series. Indian J Anaesth. 2018 Jul;62(7):549-554. doi: 10.4103/ija.IJA_57_18.
• Yamak Altinpulluk E, Garcia Simon D, Fajardo-Perez M. Erector spinae plane block for analgesia after lower segment caesarean section: Case report. Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim (Engl Ed). 2018 May;65(5):284-286. doi: 10.1016/j.redar.2017.11.006. Epub 2018 Jan 17. English, Spanish.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 12, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 18, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): March 20, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 2, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): October 3, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 12, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 3, 2022
• Last Verified: January 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Postoperative Complications; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Pain, Postoperative; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Central Nervous System Depressants; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Sensory System Agents; Anesthetics; Anesthetics, Local; Ropivacaine
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00100742

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No