Clinical trial NCT04426500: Use of Perioperative Pain Blocks In Urological Surgery
Official title: Use of Perioperative Pain Blocks In Urological Surgery: A Phase III Randomized Single Blind Single Center Three Arm Non-inferiority Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Pain, Postoperative
Nerve Block
Robotic Surgical Procedures
Keywords: Phase III
Randomized
Single blind
Single Center
Three arm
Non-inferiority
Lead sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2020-06-11
Enrollment: 148
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This is a single-center, single-blinded, (stratified) randomized placebo-controlled three-arm non-inferiority trial with 2:2:1 allocation ratio.

People who meet eligibility requirements and provide informed consent will be randomly allocated to 3 groups to receive either UTAP, LTAP or Placebo with a 2:2:1 allocation ratio. The allocation sequence will be stratified by type of surgery (prostatectomy or partial nephrectomy) using stratified block randomization with randomly varying block sizes. Random permuted blocks sizes within stratification groups will be used to minimize the chance of selection bias. Investigators will be blinded to the size of each block with only the study statistician responsible for generating the randomization list knowing this information.
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: The study team aims to prospectively compare Placebo (local administration), ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (UTAP) blocks, and laparoscopic-guided transversus abdominis plane (LTAP) blocks in patients undergoing robotic surgery of the prostate and kidney. The study team expects to be able to equally efficiently administer the blocks using direct visualization and ultrasound guidance. The study team expects that a negative result would obviate the need for longer operative time by eliminating the need for the separate ultrasound guided block while a positive result would demonstrate the increased utility of preoperative ultrasound blocks in managing postoperative pain.

Detailed description: Currently, ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (UTAP) blocks (regional anesthetic blocks) are being employed for the care of urological surgery patients. Local and regional anesthesia is commonly used throughout surgical fields. However, ultrasound-guidance can be challenging, particularly in larger, obese patients. It is unknown how such techniques compare to laparoscopic-guided blockade, with respect to time to perform, learning curve, and postoperative analgesia. The transversus abdominis plane lies deep within the abdominal wall, potentially allowing for greater ease of access from a laparoscopic approach from within than the ultrasound guided percutaneous approach.

Prior randomized studies have been completed comparing UTAP and Placebo. In 2012 Hosgood et al. compared UTAP and placebo (UTAP w/ saline) in 46 live-donor laparoscopic nephrectomy patients (24 UTAP vs. 22 placebo). Pain control (measured using the 0-10 VAS scale) was greater on post-operative day (POD) 1 in patients receiving UTAP than in controls, 19 (15) vs. 37 (20) (presented as mean (SD)), respectively. A similar randomized study in 2014 compared UTAP and placebo (UTAP w/saline) in 21 hand assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy patients (10 UTAP vs. 11 placebo). The study was initially powered for 50 patients but with decreased accrual secondary to a surgeon taking a leave of absence during the study period. Pain scores were recorded using the 0-10 VAS score. Postoperatively at 24 hours (median (IQR)) UTAP patients demonstrated decreased postoperative pain than placebo patients (1 (0-2) vs. 4 (2-6)) on the VAS score, respectively.

A larger study, done in 2016, with 80 randomized patients undergoing retroperitoneal laparoscopic urologic surgery compared UTAP (40) and saline UTAP (40). Pain scores were assessed using the 0-100 VAS score scale. On POD1, UTAP group had lower pain scores (mean (SD)) of 8.4 (5.9) vs. placebo 28.3 (12.2).

The most recent study, done in 2018, examined 100 randomized patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomies. Fifty patients were given UTAP blocks while the others received no block. A Numerical Rating Scale (assumed to range from 0-10 as not otherwise specified) was used to assess pain. Patients receiving the block at 24 hours had better pain control (mean (SD)) (1.8 (0.82) vs. 3.57 (0.64)).

While all of these studies point to potential efficacy of UTAP, no data has been published to date comparing laparoscopic administration of the TAP block (LTAP) to ultrasound guided administration. While these regional anesthetic blocks carry a theoretical risk of hematoma or damage to surrounding structures, none of the above studies report any complications with the injections.

The study team aims to prospectively compare Placebo (local administration), UTAP, and LTAP blocks in patients undergoing robotic surgery of the prostate and kidney. The study team expects to be able to equally efficiently administer the blocks using direct visualization and ultrasound guidance. The study team expects that a negative result would obviate the need for longer operative time by eliminating the need for the separate ultrasound guided block while a positive result would demonstrate the increased utility of preoperative ultrasound blocks in managing postoperative pain.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 years or older
* Undergoing Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy or Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
* Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior Partial Nephrectomy or Subtotal Prostatectomy Surgery (organ specific)
* Conversion to open surgery
* History of chronic pain
* History of opiate or alcohol dependence
* Allergies to local anesthetic
* Retroperitoneal surgery
* Single Port Surgery

Primary outcomes:
measure: Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
timeFrame: 24 hours post operatively
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Intraoperative Time and Block Time
timeFrame: up to 420 minutes
measure: Intraoperative Narcotic Use
timeFrame: up to 420 minutes
measure: Intraoperative Ketoralac Use
timeFrame: up to 420 minutes
measure: Postoperative Narcotic Use
timeFrame: 24 hours post operatively
measure: Total Analgesic Medications
timeFrame: 24 hours post operatively
measure: The Amount of Ondansetron Use
timeFrame: 2 weeks
measure: Number of Days to Return of Bowel Function
timeFrame: 2 weeks
measure: The Length of Hospital Stay
timeFrame: 2 weeks
measure: VAS in Obese Patients
timeFrame: 24 hours post operatively
measure: Number of Procedure Related Complications
timeFrame: 2 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Mount Sinai Hospital
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
name: Reza Mehrazin, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Hosgood SA, Thiyagarajan UM, Nicholson HF, Jeyapalan I, Nicholson ML. Randomized clinical trial of transversus abdominis plane block versus placebo control in live-donor nephrectomy. Transplantation. 2012 Sep 15;94(5):520-5. doi: 10.1097/TP.0b013e31825c1697.
citation: Aniskevich S, Taner CB, Perry DK, Robards CB, Porter SB, Thomas CS, Logvinov II, Clendenen SR. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane blocks for patients undergoing laparoscopic hand-assisted nephrectomy: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Local Reg Anesth. 2014 May 25;7:11-6. doi: 10.2147/LRA.S61589. eCollection 2014.
citation: Qu G, Cui XL, Liu HJ, Ji ZG, Huang YG. Ultrasound-guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Improves Postoperative Analgesia and Early Recovery in Patients Undergoing Retroperitoneoscopic Urologic Surgeries: A Randomized Controlled Double-blinded Trial. Chin Med Sci J. 2016 Sep 20;31(3):137-141. doi: 10.1016/s1001-9294(16)30041-4.
citation: Dal Moro F, Aiello L, Pavarin P, Zattoni F. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block (US-TAPb) for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a novel '4-point' technique-results of a prospective, randomized study. J Robot Surg. 2019 Feb;13(1):147-151. doi: 10.1007/s11701-018-0858-6. Epub 2018 Jul 28.