A Comparative Study between Analgesic Efficacy of Intrathecal Buprenorphine and USG-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Patients Undergoing Cesarean Section under Spinal Anesthesia

Abstract

AbstractObjective The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of intrathecal buprenorphine with ultrasonography (USG)-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in patients of cesarean section.Materials and Methods: Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I and II pregnant women aged between 20 and 40 years requiring lower segment cesarean section were included in this study.Study Design A prospective randomized comparative study.Study Groups Group A received intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% 1.8 mL with 60 µg buprenorphine. Group B received intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% 1.8 mL with 0.2 mL sterile normal saline and at the end of surgery USG-guided bilateral TAP block was given with 20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine on each side of abdomen.Results The mean ± standard deviation of time to first rescue analgesia in Group A and group B was 9.17 ± 0.64 hours and 5.59 ± 0.50 hours, respectively. Distribution of mean time to first rescue analgesia among the cases studied is significantly higher in group A compared with group B. The distribution of paracetamol and tramadol requirement in first 24 hours among the cases studied was significantly higher in group B compared with group A.Conclusion The addition of buprenorphine to intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine has advantages over USG-guided TAP block for postoperative analgesia after cesarean section—longer duration of postoperative analgesia, lower analgesic requirements over first 24 hours, and cost–effectiveness.