Transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia after abdominal surgeries in morbidly obese

Abstract

Background Pain is a significant problem for many patients after major surgery. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a new technique that provides analgesia following abdominal surgery. TAP block can be done blindly or by using ultrasound that include posterior and subcostal approach. Aim The primary aim was to study the clinical utility of TAP block as analgesia after lower abdominal surgeries in morbidly obese. The secondary aim was to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the same. Patients and methods A total of 60 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria who were undergoing elective lower abdominal surgeries were divided into two equal groups. Group T (TAP group), which received bilateral ultrasound-guided subcostal TAP block at the end of the surgery before emergence, and group C (control group) that received general anesthesia, with no further narcotic administration. Postoperative mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, visual analog scale, and visual analog scale on cough, PaCO2, time to first request of analgesia, average frequency of analgesia, average total analgesics consumption, average total local anesthetic (bupivacaine) consumption, postoperative complications, and frequency of antiemetic were recorded. Bromage score was assessed at 20 min postoperatively. Results There were significant decrease in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, visual analog scale, and visual analog scale on cough in group T than group C at 10, 20 min. There wasa high significant decrease in peak expiratory flow rate and significant increase in PaCO2 in group C than group T at 2, 6 h postoperatively. There was a high significant increase in the time to first request of analgesia, and a high significant decrease of both frequency of analgesia and average total consumption of analgesia. A high significant increase was observed in local anesthetic consumption in the first 24 h postoperatively in group T than group C. There were significant differences in nausea, vomiting, and frequency of antiemetic, whereas they did not occur in group T. There were no significant differences in the grade of motor block between two groups at 20 min or any other time. Conclusion TAP block was safe, and easy to perform, and more effective in the early postoperative period with significant reductions in opioid requirement, pain score, and complications, and did not produce motor block.