Comparing Liposomal Bupivacaine and Regular Bupivacaine for Pain Relief in Laparoscopic Colectomy Surgery Using Bilateral Abdominal Nerve Blocks

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the use of liposomal bupivacaine Exparel compared to regular bupivacaine with adjunct drugs in pain control for patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy, a surgery involving the colon. This is a prospective, triple-blinded, randomized controlled study conducted at a single center to compare the effectiveness of these pain management techniques in this surgical setting. Participants will receive either a mixture of liposomal bupivacaine combined with standard bupivacaine or regular bupivacaine with epinephrine, dexamethasone, and saline. Both treatments involve bilateral mid-abdominal transverse abdominis plane TAP blocks and rectus sheath RS blocks, with precise dosing and syringe division for administration on each side. The study monitors these two drug regimens during the surgical and postoperative periods. During the study, participants will be monitored for pain levels using numerical pain scores over three days, opioid use, nausea, vomiting, hospital stay length, sensory block duration, and patient satisfaction. Assessments include sensory tests immediately after surgery and follow-up pain inventories up to 12 months. Safety and any block-related complications will also be tracked for up to 30 days post-surgery. The total participation period includes immediate postoperative monitoring and extended follow-up for pain and satisfaction.

Bilateral TAP and RS Blocks Using Liposomal Bupivacaine/Bupivacaine vs. Regular Bupivacaine in Laparoscopic Colectomy