NCT04403711

Dexmedetomidine in TAP Block for Inguinal Hernia Repair

The Effect of Adding Dexmedetomidine to the Local Anesthetic Solution for Ultrasonography-guided TAP Block in Inguinal Hernia Repair

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: Aretaieion University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This prospective double-blind randomized study will aim at evaluating the short- and long-term postoperative analgesic efficacy of the ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with a combination of local anesthetic and dexmedetomidine in inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia

Detailed description

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide, especially in the day-case setting. It can be accompanied by moderate to severe postoperative pain, which can delay return to normal daily activities or lead to the development of chronic pain. Chronic pain after hernia repair has a reported prevalence ranging between 0% and 43% with both nociceptive and neuropathic features. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is an effective regional anesthetic technique to reduce postoperative pain intensity, time to first rescue anesthetic administration and opioid demand after upper and lower abdominal surgery. Dexmedetomidine is a selective α2-adrenergic agonist with analgesic properties that has been shown to prolong local anesthetic action when used as an adjunct to local anesthetic solutions in neuraxial anesthesia. The aim of this prospective, double-blind placebo controlled randomized study will be to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided TAP block where local anesthetic is supplemented by dexmedetomidine in patients undergoing unilateral elective inguinal hernia repair with the Lichtenstein technique under general anesthesia.

Conditions

• Inguinal Hernia
• Analgesia
• Pain, Acute
• Pain, Chronic
• Pain, Neuropathic

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	local anesthetic and dexmedetomidine	in patients allocated to the dexmedetomidine group, ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block will be performed with the combination of local anesthetic and dexmedetomidine
OTHER	local anesthetic and placebo	in patients allocated to the dexmedetomidine group, ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block will be performed with the combination of local anesthetic and normal saline

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-04-01
• Primary completion: 2023-12-31
• Completion: 2023-12-31
• First posted: 2020-05-27
• Last updated: 2025-07-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Greece