External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Versus Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Supra-umbilical Surgical Incisions

External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Versus Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Supra-umbilical Surgical Incisions; Randomized Controlled Double Blinded Clinical Trial

Various newer techniques have been proposed to enhance analgesia in upper abdominal region. The subcostal transverse abdominis plane (SCTAP) block is the deposition of local anesthetic in the transverse abdominis plane inferior and parallel to the costal margin. There is a growing consensus that the SCTAP block provides better analgesia for upper abdominal incisions than the traditional transverse abdominis plane block.

The External oblique intercostal plane (EOIP) block is a novel technique reported by Hamilton et al. performed EOPB by administering LA superior or deep of the external oblique muscle from the sixth intercostal space leading to the blockage of thoracoabdominal nerves at T6-T10. It has several attractive aspects such as easy sono-anatomy ribs one strip of muscle so easy to demonstrate even in obese patients, there is a bony backstop, easy expandable fascial plane that can accommodate a catheter and it is shallow block with no big vessels nearby.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pain, Postoperative
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: external oblique intercostal plain block (EOIP); Procedure: subcostal transversus abdominis plane block (SCTAP); Other: control group

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Qalubia
    • Banhā, Qalubia, Egypt, 13511
      • Samar Rafik Amin

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 56 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status grade I -II,
2. Scheduled to undergo elective supra-umbilical surgeries under GA (epigastric herniotomy- gastrectomy- open cholecystectomy- nephrectomy).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Allergy to local anesthetics,
2. Infection at the site of injection,
3. Coagulopathy,
4. Chronic pain syndromes,
5. Prolonged opioid medication,
6. Patients who received any analgesic 24 h before surgery.
7. Chronic liver disease, chronic renal disease, and cognitive impairment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group E; patients will receive ultrasound guided external oblique intercostal plain block.	Procedure: external oblique intercostal plain block (EOIP); A high-frequency linear ultrasound probe will be placed in a longitudinal parasagittal orientation at the sixth intercostal space in the anterior midaxillary line. A 21G 10 cm needle will be inserted using an in plane approach. The tip of the needle will be placed into the fascial plane on the deep aspect of the external oblique muscle. A volume of 20 mL of LA mixture (10 mL of bupivacaine 0.5%, 5 mL of lidocaine 2% and 5 mL of normal saline to make a mixture totaling 20 ml.) will be injected.
Experimental: Group T; patients will receive ultrasound guided subcostal transversus abdominis plane block.	Procedure: subcostal transversus abdominis plane block (SCTAP); The US probe will be placed immediately below the costal margin on oblique plane toward the lateral close to midline to identify the rectus abdominis muscle. The transversus abdominis muscle will be identified lying posterior to the rectus muscle. An 8cm 22-gauge block needle will be inserted using an in- plane approach. transversus abdominis plane will be accessed by placing the needle adjacent to costal margin but medial to linea semilunaris. The needle will be advanced slowly in-plane to promote hydrodissection along the oblique subcostal line. A volume of 20 mL of LA mixture (10 mL of bupivacaine 0.5%, 5 mL of lidocaine 2% and 5 mL of normal saline to make a mixture totaling 20 ml.) will be injected.
Placebo Comparator: Group C; patients won't receive LA injection	Other: control group; No LA injection

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
amount of postoperative morphine consumed	24 hours postoperatively
First postoperative analgesics request	24 hours postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postoperative pain score	pain evaluated by VAS (visual analogue score).	at 1, 2,4 , 8, 16 and 24 hours postoperatively
Incidence of Postoperative nausea & vomiting (PONV)	Number of patients developing PONV	24 hours postoperatively
incidence of complications related to the block	agitation, dizziness, tinnitus, tremors, and numbness.	24 hours postoperatively

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Benha University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 20, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 10, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): April 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 21, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 24, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): June 27, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Wounds and Injuries; Postoperative Complications; Pathologic Processes; Surgical Wound; Pain, Postoperative
• Other Study ID Numbers: RC 1-5-2022

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