A randomised trial to compare post-operative respiratory function following bolus abdominal block local anaesthesia, versus standard infusional abdominal block local anaesthesia in patients undergoing gastrointestinal resectional surgery

Exclusion Criteria9

• Refusal or unable to give written, informed consent to participate in the study, or
• Patient has received an epidural, spinal or other neuroaxial anaesthetic
• Patient is under 18 years of age, or
• Patient receives an operation that involves extra incisions outside the abdominal wall (such as abdomino-perineal resections), or
• Patient has a known allergy or adverse drug reaction to local anaesthetic agents or morphine or fentanyl, or
• Patient has a history of arrhythmia or long QT syndrome associated with the drugs used in this trial, or
• Patient remains intubated post procedure
• Patient is taking regular opiate narcotics pre-operatively
• Patients will be withdrawn from the trial if: - At any time they wish to discontinue with the trial, or Post-operative complications within the first 72 hours result in the patient being unable to be assessed for study outcomes (e.g. requiring post-operative ventilation)