Autonomic Nerve Block

Effective postoperative pain management is essential for enhanced recovery after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. This randomized, controlled, double-blind trial will compare conventional postoperative analgesia (intravenous medications plus surgical wound infiltration) with a locoregional strategy combining a peripheral autonomic block (inferior mesenteric and superior hypogastric plexuses) and a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block. We hypothesize that the combined strategy (BAPTAP) reduces pain intensity and opioid consumption in the first 48 hours after Left-Sided Colorectal Resection.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if the use of a bilateral nerve block with a local anesthetic (ropivacaine), as part of a standard of care pain control regimen (called multimodal analgesia \[MMA\]), has a favorable effect on our institutional MMA pain regimen. Subjects will go through the following study procedures: review of medical history and medications subjects have taken within a month prior to surgery. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of the two study groups (1:1) to receive either, an ultrasound-guided bilateral nerve block (called "Pecto-Intercostal Fascial Block \[PIFB\]") with ropivacaine or saline 0.9 solution, in addition to our institutional MMA regimen. A baseline line pain and nausea scores will be recorded before surgery. The block will be performed right after general anesthesia induction. The details about the surgery will be collected. Pain assessments, nausea and vomiting scores will be registered at 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery as well. Lastly, a follow up phone call will be made by the research team to conduct a pain-detect questionnaire at 30, 60 and 90 days after surgery.