Regional Analgesia Techniques for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

NCT ID: NCT07241949

Last Updated: 2025-11-21

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

147 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-01

Study Completion Date

2026-06-05

Brief Summary

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This single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of paravertebral block (PVB), external oblique intercostal (EOI) block, and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with tramadol on postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The primary endpoint is total tramadol consumption within 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes include pain scores, additional analgesic use, incidence of nausea/vomiting, mobilization time, and length of hospital stay.

Detailed Description

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This single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial aims to compare the analgesic efficacy and opioid-sparing effects of paravertebral block (PVB), external oblique intercostal (EOI) block, and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA) in adult patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) under general anesthesia.

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a minimally invasive procedure, postoperative pain remains a significant clinical problem, particularly during the first 24 hours after surgery. Effective multimodal analgesia is essential to improve patient comfort, facilitate early mobilization, and reduce opioid-related side effects. Regional anesthesia techniques, such as PVB and EOI block, target both somatic and visceral components of pain and may offer superior postoperative analgesia compared with systemic opioid administration alone.

After obtaining informed consent, eligible patients (aged 18-65 years, ASA I-III) scheduled for elective LC will be randomly assigned to one of three groups using the sealed envelope method:

Group P (Paravertebral Block): After induction of general anesthesia, bilateral paravertebral blocks will be performed at thoracic levels with 0.25% bupivacaine (20 mL per side; total 40 mL).

Group E (External Oblique Intercostal Block): After induction, bilateral EOI blocks will be performed using 0.25% bupivacaine (20 mL per side; total 40 mL) injected into the fascial plane between the external oblique and intercostal muscles under ultrasound guidance.

Group C (Control): Patients will receive standard general anesthesia followed by IV PCA with tramadol (maximum dose 400 mg/24h) and IV paracetamol 1 g every 8 hours.

All patients will receive standard intraoperative monitoring and anesthesia management. Postoperative analgesia will be evaluated using an 11-point Numerical Rating Scale (NRS, 0-10) both at rest and during movement at 20 minutes, 6 hpurs, 12 hours, and 24 hours after surgery. If the NRS score is ≥4 in the postoperative care unit, IV morphine (0.05 mg/kg), If the NRS score is ≥7 Meperidine 0.3 mg/kg will be administered as rescue analgesia.

The primary outcome is total tramadol consumption within the first 24 postoperative hours.

Secondary outcomes include pain scores at predefined time points, requirement for rescue analgesics, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), time to mobilization, and length of hospital stay.

Patients will be followed for 24 hours postoperatively. The anesthesia team performing the blocks will not participate in data collection. Pain assessments will be conducted by an investigator blinded to group allocation to minimize bias.

This study will provide comparative data on two ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia techniques and systemic opioid-based analgesia for LC, aiming to identify the method that ensures optimal postoperative pain control with the least opioid requirement and side effects.

Conditions

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Postoperative Pain Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Paravertebral Block External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block Patient Controlled Analgesia

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three parallel study arms: (1) paravertebral block, (2) external oblique intercostal block, or (3) intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with tramadol. Each participant will receive only the intervention assigned to their group, and no crossover between groups will occur. Outcomes will be assessed over the first 24 postoperative hours following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
The investigator assessing postoperative pain scores will be blinded to the intervention group allocation. Patients and anesthesia providers will not be blinded.

Study Groups

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Paravertebral Block Group

Participants in this arm will receive bilateral paravertebral block after induction of general anesthesia. Under ultrasound guidance, 0.25% bupivacaine (20 mL per side; total 40 mL) will be administered to provide postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients will also receive standard intravenous paracetamol postoperatively.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Paravertebral Block (PVB)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Ultrasound-guided bilateral thoracic paravertebral block performed after induction of general anesthesia using 0.25% bupivacaine, 20 mL per side (total 40 mL).

External Oblique Intercostal Block Group

Participants in this arm will receive bilateral external oblique intercostal (EOI) block after induction of general anesthesia. Under ultrasound guidance, 0.25% bupivacaine (20 mL per side; total 40 mL) will be injected into the fascial plane between the external oblique and intercostal muscles. Standard intravenous paracetamol will be administered postoperatively.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

External Oblique Intercostal Block (EOI Block)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Ultrasound-guided bilateral external oblique intercostal block performed after induction of general anesthesia with 0.25% bupivacaine, 20 mL per side (total 40 mL), injected between the external oblique and intercostal muscles.

Control Group - IV PCA Tramadol

Participants in this arm will receive intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with tramadol for postoperative pain management. The PCA pump will be set to a maximum dose of 400 mg tramadol in 24 hours. Standard intravenous paracetamol (1 g every 8 hours) will also be administered. No regional anesthesia block will be performed in this group.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Tramadol IV Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)

Intervention Type DRUG

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) programmed to deliver tramadol with a maximum dose of 400 mg in 24 hours. Standard analgesia protocol includes IV paracetamol 1 g every 8 hours.

Interventions

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Paravertebral Block (PVB)

Ultrasound-guided bilateral thoracic paravertebral block performed after induction of general anesthesia using 0.25% bupivacaine, 20 mL per side (total 40 mL).

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

External Oblique Intercostal Block (EOI Block)

Ultrasound-guided bilateral external oblique intercostal block performed after induction of general anesthesia with 0.25% bupivacaine, 20 mL per side (total 40 mL), injected between the external oblique and intercostal muscles.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Tramadol IV Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA)

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) programmed to deliver tramadol with a maximum dose of 400 mg in 24 hours. Standard analgesia protocol includes IV paracetamol 1 g every 8 hours.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Control group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age between 18 and 65 years
* Scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia
* ASA physical status I-III
* Able to understand the study procedure and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

Patient refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Allergy or contraindication to local anesthetics, tramadol, or study medications

Coagulopathy or current anticoagulant therapy

Local infection at the planned block injection site

Severe hepatic or renal impairment

Chronic opioid use or opioid dependence

Neurological or psychiatric disorders affecting pain perception or communication

Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Body mass index (BMI) \> 35 kg/m²

Conversion to open cholecystectomy during surgery
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Cukurova University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Nurefsan Sadikoglu

Attending Specialist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Nurefsan Sadikoglu, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Cukurova University Hospital

Locations

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Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine

Adana, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

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Nurefsan Sadikoglu, MD

Role: CONTACT

+(90) 538 926 2414

Zehra Hatipoglu, MD

Role: CONTACT

+(90) 532 447 1670

Facility Contacts

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Nurefsan Sadikoglu, MD

Role: primary

+ (90) 538 926 2414

Zehra Hatipoglu, MD

Role: backup

+(90) 532 447 1670

References

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Hawker GA, Mian S, Kendzerska T, French M. Measures of adult pain: Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain), Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (NRS Pain), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS), Short Form-36 Bodily Pain Scale (SF-36 BPS), and Measure of Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011 Nov;63 Suppl 11:S240-52. doi: 10.1002/acr.20543. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22588748 (View on PubMed)

Erskine RN, White L. "A review of the external oblique intercostal plane block - a novel approach to analgesia for upper abdominal surgery". J Clin Anesth. 2022 Nov;82:110953. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2022.110953. Epub 2022 Aug 19. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 35994942 (View on PubMed)

Hamilton DL, Manickam BP, Wilson MAJ, Abdel Meguid E. External oblique fascial plane block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2019 Jan 11:rapm-2018-100256. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2018-100256. Online ahead of print. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30635518 (View on PubMed)

Hamilton DL, Manickam BP. Is a Thoracic Fascial Plane Block the Answer to Upper Abdominal Wall Analgesia? Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Nov;43(8):891-892. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000838. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30339615 (View on PubMed)

Kus A, Gurkan Y, Arslan ZI, Akgul AG, Aksu C, Toker K, Solak M. [Our ultrasound-guided paravertebral block experiences in thoracic surgery]. Agri. 2015;27(3):139-42. doi: 10.5505/agri.2015.59885. Turkish.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26356102 (View on PubMed)

Barazanchi AWH, MacFater WS, Rahiri JL, Tutone S, Hill AG, Joshi GP; PROSPECT collaboration. Evidence-based management of pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a PROSPECT review update. Br J Anaesth. 2018 Oct;121(4):787-803. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.06.023. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30236241 (View on PubMed)

O'Donovan B, Martin B. The Novel Use of an External Oblique Nerve Catheter After Open Cholecystectomy. Cureus. 2021 Feb 26;13(2):e13580. doi: 10.7759/cureus.13580.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33796423 (View on PubMed)

Alper I, Ulukaya S, Yuksel G, Uyar M, Balcioglu T. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy pain: effects of the combination of incisional and intraperitoneal levobupivacaine before or after surgery. Agri. 2014;26(3):107-12. doi: 10.5505/agri.2014.42650.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25205408 (View on PubMed)

Shrestha BB, Lakhe G, Ghimire P. Postoperative Pain after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in a Tertiary Care Center: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study. JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2024 Jul 31;62(276):502-506. doi: 10.31729/jnma.8719.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39369396 (View on PubMed)

De Cassai A, Sella N, Geraldini F, Tulgar S, Ahiskalioglu A, Dost B, Manfrin S, Karapinar YE, Paganini G, Beldagli M, Luoni V, Ordulu BBK, Boscolo A, Navalesi P. Single-shot regional anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomies: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2023 Feb;76(1):34-46. doi: 10.4097/kja.22366. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36345156 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Pending-EC-2025-NSadikoglu

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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