COMPARTIVE STUDY BETWEEN EPIDURAL ANALGESIA AND BILATERAL TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS PLANE BLOCK FOR POSTOPERATIVE PAIN RELIEF IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CESAREAN DELIVERIES

Abstract

Background: Caesarean section (CS) is one of the most common surgical procedures in the world. Post-operative pain affects both mother and the newborn, particularly the first 48 h after birth. The pain can be terrifying, disturbing the bonding between the mother and the child. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of continuous bilateral transversus abdominis plane block versus epidural analgesia for post-operative pain relief after cesarean deliveries. Patients and Methods: Sixty Patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I or II, scheduled for cesarean deliveries, were enrolled in this randomized, prospective, double-blind, clinical trial study after approval of the medical ethical committee at Al-Azhar university hospitals, Department of Anesthesia and after patients giving written consents, in the period from January 2020 till August 2020, Our study patients were randomly divided into two equal groups (epidural group and tap group). Results: Epidural block provided significantly prolonged postoperative analgesia and reduced postoperative analgesic requirements as compared to ultrasound guided TAP block in patients undergoing CS. Both analgesic techniques were safe. Conclusion: Epidural analgesia was better than TAP block regarding postoperative analgesia, total analgesic consumption and first time to rescue analgesia TAP block can be alternative to epidural when neuraxial anesthesia was contraindicated.