Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria |
---|---|
• Patients >18 years of age | • Contraindication to epidural analgesia: for example, coagulopathy, local infection, systemic sepsis, severe aortic stenosis |
• Planned major abdominal surgery including major colorectal resections, pancreaticoduodenectomy and radical cystectomy | • Consent refused for either TEA or RSC |
• Planned open midline surgical incision | • Non-English speaker |
• Included in the ERP | • Ano-rectal excision: for example, pan-proctocolectomy or abdomino-perineal resection. |
• Willing and able to give consent | • Planned transverse or oblique incisional approach |
• ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) 1 to 3 | • Allergy to local anaesthetic drugs or opiates |
 | • Opiate tolerance |
 | • Pre-existing chronic abdominal pain |
 | • Extensive existing midline abdominal scarring |