Intraoperative TAP Block With Bupivacaine/Dexamethasone Against Liposomal Bupivacaine (Exparel®)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2019-10-29
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Traditionally, opioids are heavily utilized in treating postoperative pain but they are
associated with numerous side effects. The use of the transversus abdominis plane (TAP)
blocks have become standard practice to extend the post-operative analgesic window and limit
opioid use. A new liposomal-depo formulation of bupivacaine (Exparel) has gained popularity
as a long-lasting TAP block medication, but has not been studied in a well-powered clinical
trial specifically in colorectal patients nor compared to a bupivacaine/steroid mixture which
may offer similar effects. We conduct a prospective randomized prospective randomized study
of patients undergoing major laparoscopic colorectal surgery to compare the analgesic effects
of a bupivacaine/steroid mixture versus liposomal bupivacaine.