The Analgesic Effect of Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block Following Radical Prostatectomy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2012-02-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study is conducted to evaluate different analgesic treatments effect following operation
where the prostate gland is surgically removed.
The different treatments the investigators wish to investigate is:
1. Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block.
The TAP block is a rather new method, where a local anaesthetic is deposited between the
two inner abdominal muscles. Between these muscles, the nerves that innervates the
anterior part of the abdominal wall is situated.
2. Wound infiltration
In this method you deposit a local anaesthetic in the edges of the wound.
3. Placebo
No active local treatment is given.
All patients who wish to participate will be allocated to one of three different treatment
groups.
Group 1:
Will receive TAP block with a local anaesthetic and wound infiltration with saline.
Group 2:
Will receive wound infiltration with a local anaesthetic and TAP block with saline.
Group 3:
Will receive TAP block with saline and wound infiltration with saline.
Beside this local treatment all patients will be given systemic Paracetamol (tablet) and
Ibuprofen (tablet).
In addition all patients will be given a pump containing morphine. The pump is connected to a
button which the patient can activate when they experience pain. This enables the patient to
control how much morphine he needs, following the operation.
The hypothesis is that the TAP block is superior in reducing pain and thereby reducing
morphine consumption compared to wound infiltration and placebo.