Recruiting

TAP Blocks

Sponsor:

University of Tennessee

Code:

NCT06925152

Conditions

Complex Obstetric Surgery

Perioperative Pain Management

Cesarean Delivery

Postoperative Pain Control

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Bupivicaine intervention arm

Placebo arm

Study Details

Brief summary:

To assess the effect of intraoperative transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks on the amount of opioid pain medications expressed as morphine milliequivalents (MME) used postoperatively in patients who have undergone cesarean delivery (CD) in the setting of complex obstetric surgery (COS).

Conditions

Complex Obstetric Surgery

Perioperative Pain Management

Cesarean Delivery

Postoperative Pain Control

Study ID

NCT06925152

Start date

Jul 15, 2025

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

May, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion criteria:

Patient has a history of a least one of the following:

  • Prior exploratory laparotomy
  • History of non-obstetric open intra-abdominal surgery
  • History of three or more prior cesarean deliveries
  • History of intra-abdominal or pelvic adhesive disease
  • History of abdominoplasty
  • History of abdominal re-exploration surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Received general anesthesia
  • History of less than 3 cesarean deliveries if do not meet other inclusion criteria
  • History of chronic opioid use
  • History of substance abuse (i.e. alcohol, methamphetamine/amphetamine, abuse of prescription opioid medication, or heroin use)
  • History of chronic kidney disease
  • Allergies to bupivacaine or oral analgesics
  • Patient preference
  • Cesarean hysterectomy
  • Administration of ≥4mg morphine to epidural
  • Loss to follow-up

Study Design

Enrollment

120 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

placebo comparator: Placebo group

Placebo group TAP (Transversus Abdominis Plane) block syringe will include 30mL normal saline.

active comparator: Intervention group

TAP (Transversus Abdominis Plane) blocks will include 0.5% bupivacaine in 30mL solution of 15mL normal saline and 15mL bupivacaine.

Interventions

Bupivicaine intervention arm

TAP blocks in intervention group will include 0.5% bupivacaine in 30mL solution of 15mL normal saline and 15mL bupivacaine

Placebo arm

Placebo group TAP block syringe will include 30mL normal saline

Primary outcome measure

  • Pain medication requested [ Time Frame: Between 24 and 48 hours after surgery ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Michael VanDillen Fellow physician, PI of study, MD

314-619-1046mvandill@uthsc.edu

Locations

Regional One Health

Recruiting

Memphis, Tennessee, United States, 38103

Contacts

Michael Vandillen, MD

314-619-1046mvandill@uthsc.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Tennessee

Last update posted

Mar 11, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

  • Complex obstetric surgery
  • Perioperative pain management
  • cesarean delivery
  • postoperative pain control

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Tennessee on 2026-03-11.