NCT02591407: TAP

Trial Comparing Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Versus Epidural Anesthesia for Pain Management in Colorectal Surgery

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 28 January 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing TAP Block in Colon Cancer in 200 participants. Completed in 31 December 2017.

Timeline

12 January 2016

Primary endpoint
31 December 2017

31 December 2017

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Trinity Health Michigan
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	supportive care
Enrollment	200
Start date	12 January 2016
Primary completion	31 December 2017
Estimated completion	31 December 2017
Sites	1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• TAP Block
• Continuous Epidural Analgesia

Conditions studied

• Colon Cancer — all drugs for Colon Cancer →
• Rectal Cancer — all drugs for Rectal Cancer →
• Colonic Diverticulosis — all drugs for Colonic Diverticulosis →

Sponsor

Trinity Health Michigan

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Colon Cancer or Rectal Cancer. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Post-operative Mean Numeric Pain Scale. Primary · Post-operative day 0,1,2,3

Measured by patient completing the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) on post-operative day 0,1,2,3. Numeric Pain Scale is a pain screening tool, commonly used to assess pain severity at that moment in time using a 0-10 scale, with zero meaning "no pain" and 10 meaning "the worst pain imaginable". Data from all the specified time points above (post-operative day 0,1,2,3) was averaged into a single value.

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	2.12	± 1.44
TAP Block- Exparel	2.32	± 1.44

Overall Benefits of Analgesia Score (OBAS) Primary · Post-operative day 0,1,2,3

Measured by the patient completing the OBAS survey on postoperative days 0,1,2,3. The OBAS is a multi-dimensional quality assessment instrument to measure patients' benefit from postoperative pain therapy. 1\. Rate your current pain at rest on a scale between 0=minimal pain and 4=maximum imaginable pain 2-6. Grade any distress and bother from vomiting in the past 24 h (0=not at all to 4=very much: same scale for remaining Qs about itching, sweating, freezing, dizziness on the scale). 7\. Rate your satisfaction with your pain treatment on a scale between 0=not at all and 4= very much To calc

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	0.48	± 0.52
TAP Block- Exparel	0.37	± 0.31

Patient Use of Narcotic Analgesia Post-op Day 0 Secondary · Post-operative day 0

Patient use of narcotic analgesia post-operative day 0 including Fentanyl from epidural

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	80.20	58.41 – 110.12
TAP Block- Exparel	54.64	50.35 – 59.31

Patient Use of Narcotic Analgesia Post-operative Day 0 Secondary · Post-operative day 0

Patient use of narcotic analgesia post operative day 0 excluding Fentanyl from epidural.

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	27.55	20.77 – 36.55
TAP Block- Exparel	54.64	50.35 – 59.31

Patient Use of Narcotic Analgesia Post-operative Day 3 Secondary · Post-operative day 3

Patient use of narcotic analgesia post-operative day 3 including Fentanyl from epidural

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	0.34	0.15 – 0.77
TAP Block- Exparel	0.22	0.10 – 0.45

Patient Use of Narcotic Analgesia Post-operative Day 1 Secondary · Post-operative day 1

Patient use of narcotic analgesia post operative day 1 including Fentanyl from epidural

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	71	53.42 – 94.36
TAP Block- Exparel	13.34	8.14 – 21.86

Patient Use of Narcotic Analgesia Post-operative Day 2 Secondary · Post-operative day 2

Patient use of narcotic analgesia post operative day 2 including Fentanyl from epidural

Group	Value	95% CI
Continuous Epidural Analgesia	3.11	1.52 – 6.38
TAP Block- Exparel	2.61	1.33 – 5.14

Sponsor's own description

The primary outcome for this study is the Numeric Pain Score (NPS) for elective patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery that have been randomized to transversus abdominis plane block or epidural anesthesia for the management of perioperative pain in elective colorectal surgery.

Publications & conference data

2 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Liposomal Bupivacaine Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Versus Epidural Analgesia in a Colon and Rectal Surgery Enhanced Recovery Pathway: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
   Felling DR, Jackson MW, Ferraro J, Battaglia MA, et al · · 2018 · cited 60× · PMID 30192328 · DOI 10.1097/dcr.0000000000001211
2. Liposomal bupivacaine peripheral nerve block for the management of postoperative pain.
   Hamilton TW, Athanassoglou V, Trivella M, Strickland LH, et al · · 2016 · cited 26× · PMID 27558150 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd011476.pub2