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PRO-RSTAP: Effect of TAP and RS Blocks on Recovery After Inguinal Hernia Surgery (PRO-RSTAP)
Sponsor: Tampere University Hospital
Summary
Inguinal hernia repair is a common surgical procedure, often performed as day-case surgery. Despite standardized surgical techniques, postoperative pain may delay recovery and occasionally lead to unplanned hospital admission. The PRO-RSTAP study is a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial evaluating whether ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block, rectus sheath (RS) block, or their combination improves postoperative recovery after open inguinal hernia surgery. Adult patients undergoing unilateral open inguinal hernia repair are randomized into four groups receiving either combined TAP and RS blocks, TAP block only, RS block only, or placebo blocks , in addition to standard perioperative care. The primary outcome is total perioperative opioid consumption measured as intravenous morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes include postoperative pain scores, need for rescue analgesia, postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to discharge, unplanned hospital admission, and chronic postoperative pain during long-term follow-up. The aim of this study is to determine the individual and combined effects of TAP and RS blocks on postoperative analgesia and recovery in patients undergoing open inguinal hernia repair.
Official title: Effect of Medial Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block and Rectus Sheath (RS) Block on Inguinal Hernia Surgery Recovery, a Prospective Randomized Double-blind Study (PRO-RSTAP)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
200
Start Date
2025-07-01
Completion Date
2038-01
Last Updated
2026-02-20
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block)
Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block performed preoperatively using local anesthetic for postoperative analgesia.
Rectus sheath block (active)
Ultrasound-guided rectus sheath (RS) block performed preoperatively using local anesthetic for postoperative analgesia.
Placebo nerve block
Ultrasound-guided sham block performed using saline to maintain blinding, without active local anesthetic.
Ropivacaine
Ropivacaine 7.5 mg/ml diluted 1:1 with saline, used for active transversus abdominis plane (TAP) and/or rectus sheath (RS) blocks administered preoperatively for postoperative analgesia.
Sodium chloride
0.9% sodium chloride solution used as placebo in sham transversus abdominis plane (TAP) and rectus sheath (RS) blocks to maintain blinding.
Ultrasound device
Ultrasound guidance used to perform transversus abdominis plane (TAP) and rectus sheath (RS) blocks.
Morphine
Standard perioperative opioid analgesics administered intraoperatively and postoperatively according to institutional protocol. Opioid doses are recorded and converted to intravenous morphine equivalent dose for outcome assessment.
Locations (1)
Tampere University Hospital
Tampere, Finland