An interventional study of M-TAPA block and Erector Spinae Plane Block in Pain Management, sponsored by Beni-Suef University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Egypt. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by Beni-Suef University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
To compare the effectiveness of M-TAPA block versus Erector Spinae Plane Block in providing postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery.
Effective postoperative pain control after upper abdominal surgery is essential to enhance recovery, reduce opioid consumption, improve respiratory function, and shorten hospital stay. Regional anesthesia techniques have gained wide acceptance as part of multimodal analgesia strategies for abdominal surgeries.
The Modified Thoracoabdominal Nerve Block through Perichondrial Approach (M-TAPA) is a relatively recent interfascial plane block that targets thoracoabdominal nerves supplying the anterior abdominal wall and has shown promising analgesic coverage for upper abdominal incisions.
The Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) is an ultrasound-guided regional technique that provides both somatic and visceral analgesia through spread of local anesthetic to dorsal and ventral rami of spinal nerves.
Despite the growing use of both techniques, comparative evidence between M-TAPA block and ESPB for postoperative analgesia in upper abdominal surgery remains limited.
While ESPB is widely recognized for its combined somatic and visceral analgesic properties due to its potential spread to the paravertebral space, it requires a posterior approach which may be technically challenging or require patient repositioning. Conversely, the M-TAPA block offers a simplified anterior approach that is performed in the supine position, potentially offering easier needle visualization and a favorable safety profile.
Therefore, this study is designed to compare their analgesic efficacy and opioid-sparing effects.
Beni-Suef University is the lead sponsor of 349 studies on the registry; 125 are open to participants now.
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elective upper abdominal surgery aged 18-65 years belonging to I-III 18-35 kg/m².
Exclusion Criteria:
Patient refusal Coagulopathy Infection at injection site Allergy to local anesthetics Chronic opioid use Severe hepatic or renal impairment Pregnancy Neurological disorders affecting pain perception
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
ASA physical status
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Using a high-frequency linear probe placed vertically over the costal margin at the 9th-10th ribs. 20 ml of Bupivacaine 0.25% will be injected on each side into the plane between the perichondrium and the transversus abdominis muscle.
Procedure: M-TAPA block
Using a high-frequency linear probe in a longitudinal orientation 2.5-3 cm lateral to the T7 spinous process. 20 ml of Bupivacaine 0.25% will be injected on each side into the plane deep to the erector spinae muscle and superficial to the transverse process.
Procedure: Erector Spinae Plane Block
Using a high-frequency linear probe placed vertically over the costal margin at the 9th-10th ribs. 20 ml of Bupivacaine 0.25% will be injected on each side into the plane between the perichondrium and the transversus abdominis muscle.
Using a high-frequency linear probe in a longitudinal orientation 2.5-3 cm lateral to the T7 spinous process. 20 ml of Bupivacaine 0.25% will be injected on each side into the plane deep to the erector spinae muscle and superficial to the transverse process.
Total morphine consumption
Time frame: during the first 24 hours postoperative
Postoperative pain score (VAS)
Time frame: at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperative
Time to first rescue analgesia
Time frame: during the first 24 hours postoperative
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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