Transversus Abdominis Plane Infiltration Research Articles

Transversus abdominis plane block compared with wound infiltration for postoperative analgesia following Cesarean delivery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) compared postoperative analgesic efficacy of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks with that of wound infiltration for Cesarean delivery (CD) without long-acting neuraxial opioid administration. We sought randomized-controlled trials comparing TAP vs wound infiltration, and inactive control vs either TAP or wound infiltration. Wound infiltration included single-dose infiltration (WI), or continuous infusion via a catheter (WC). The primary outcome was 24 hr opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes included 12 and 24 hr pain scores (resting and movement), time to first analgesia request, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), maternal sedation, and pruritus. We performed a NMA incorporating both direct and indirect comparisons and reported standardized mean differences and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for continuous and dichotomous outcomes. Forty-two studies were included, comprising 2,906 participants. Transversus abdominis plane blocks and WC were associated with significantly lower 24 hr opioid consumption than inactive controls, but there were no significant differences between WI and inactive controls. There was no statistically significant difference in 24 hr opioid consumption between TAP blocks and WC or WI techniques. The network ranking of treatments was TAP block, followed by WC or WI. No significant differences were shown between TAP, WC, and WI groups for 24 hr pain scores, time to first analgesia, PONV, sedation, and pruritus. Quality of evidence was moderate for most of the outcomes assessed. In the absence of long-acting neuraxial opioid after CD, single-dose TAP blocks and WC are effective opioid-sparing strategies.

The cost-effectiveness of epidural, patient-controlled intravenous opioid analgesia, or transversus abdominis plane infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine for postoperative pain management

Study objectiveIntravenous patient-controlled opioid analgesia (IVPCA), epidural analgesia and transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltrations are frequently used postoperative pain management modalities. The aim of this study was to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the use of epidural, IVPCA, and TAP infiltrations with liposomal bupivacaine for analgesia in the first 72 h postoperatively in patients undergoing major lower abdominal surgery. DesignRetrospective cost effectiveness analysis. SettingOperating room. PatientsWe obtained data on major lower-abdominal surgeries performed under general anesthesia on adult patients between January 2012 and July 2014. InterventionsA cost-effectiveness analysis was comparing the use of epidural, IVPCA, and TAP infiltrations with liposomal bupivacaine for analgesia in the first 72 h postoperatively. MeasurementsA decision analytic model was used to estimate the health outcomes for patients undergoing major lower abdominal surgery. The primary outcome was time-weighted pain from 0 to 72 h after surgery, as measured by numerical rating scale pain scores. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the hospital as the party responsible for most costs related to surgery. Main resultsFrom the base case analysis, IVPCA was the optimal strategy regarding cost and effect. TAP with LB, however, was only narrowly dominated, while epidural was clearly dominated. From the sensitivity analysis at willingness-to-pay (WTP) of $150, IV PCA and TAP infiltration were each the optimal strategy for approximately 50% of the iterations. At WTP of $10,000, epidural was only the optimal strategy in 10% of the iterations. ConclusionsThis is the first study in the literature to compare the cost-effectiveness of epidural, IVPCA, and TAP infiltrations with LB. Within reasonable WTP values, there is little differentiation in cost-effectiveness between IVPCA and TAP infiltration with LB. Epidural does not become a cost-effective strategy even at much higher WTP values.

Evolution of transversus abdominis plane infiltration techniques for postsurgical analgesia following abdominal surgeries

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration is a regional anesthesia technique that has been demonstrated to be effective for management of postsurgical pain after abdominal surgery. There are several different clinical variations in the approaches used for achieving analgesia via TAP infiltration, and methods for identification of the TAP have evolved considerably since the landmark-guided technique was first described in 2001. There are many factors that impact the analgesic outcomes following TAP infiltration, and the various nuances of this technique have led to debate regarding procedural classification of TAP infiltration. Based on our current understanding of fascial and neuronal anatomy of the anterior abdominal wall, as well as available evidence from studies assessing local anesthetic spread and cutaneous sensory block following TAP infiltration, it is clear that TAP infiltration techniques are appropriately classified as field blocks. While the objective of peripheral nerve block and TAP infiltration are similar in that both approaches block sensory response in order to achieve analgesia, the technical components of the two procedures are different. Unlike peripheral nerve block, which involves identification or stimulation of a specific nerve or nerve plexus, followed by administration of a local anesthetic in close proximity, TAP infiltration involves administration and spread of local anesthetic within an anatomical plane of the surgical site.

Impact of volume expansion on the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of liposome bupivacaine.

Liposome bupivacaine is a prolonged-release liposomal formulation of bupivacaine indicated for single-dose infiltration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia of longer duration than traditional local anesthetics. This review summarizes the available data on how volume expansion may impact the analgesic efficacy of liposome bupivacaine. The Phase II and III clinical studies that involved surgical site administration of liposome bupivacaine at various concentrations in different surgical settings revealed no apparent concentration–efficacy relationship. A single-center, prospective study comparing the efficacy of transversus abdominis plane infiltration with liposome bupivacaine administered in a lower (266 mg/40 mL) vs a higher (266 mg/20 mL) dose concentration in subjects undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy also reported similar postsurgical pain intensity scores and opioid usage in both treatment groups. The pharmacokinetic profile of liposome bupivacaine following subcutaneous injections in rats was unaltered by differences in drug concentration, dose, or injection volume within the ranges tested. Volume expansion of liposome bupivacaine to a total volume of 300 mL or less does not appear to impact its clinical efficacy or pharmacokinetic profile, thus allowing flexibility to administer the formulation across a wide range of diluent volumes.

Infiltration of liposome bupivacaine into the transversus abdominis plane for postsurgical analgesia in robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy: a pilot study.

BackgroundTransversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration has been increasingly used for postsurgical analgesia in abdominal/pelvic procedures; however, duration/extent of analgesia with standard local anesthetics is limited. This pilot study assessed the preliminary efficacy and safety of two volumes of liposome bupivacaine administered via TAP infiltration in patients undergoing robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy.MethodsIn this single-center, open-label, prospective study, patients older than 18 years received TAP infiltration with liposome bupivacaine immediately after surgery. The first 12 patients received a total volume of 20 mL liposome bupivacaine (266 mg); the next 12 received 40 mL liposome bupivacaine (266 mg). The liposome bupivacaine was diluted with 0.9% normal saline. The primary efficacy measure was duration of analgesia, measured by time to first opioid administration. Secondary outcome measures included patient-assessed pain scores, opioid use, and opioid-related adverse events (AEs).ResultsTwenty-four patients received liposome bupivacaine (20 mL, n=12; 40 mL, n=12) and were included in the primary analysis. Three refused participation in a 10-day follow-up visit and did not complete the study. Median time to first opioid administration after surgery was 23 and 26 minutes for the 20 and 40 mL groups, respectively. Mean total amount of postsurgical opioids ranged from 25.4 to 27.3 mg; after hospital discharge to day 10, both groups required a mean of 0.7 oxycodone/acetaminophen tablets/day. Mean pain scores of 4.4 and 5.3 were reported at 1 hour and 3.1 and 3.9 at 2 hours postsurgery, with 20 and 40 mL doses, respectively. Neither group had mean scores higher than 3.0 at any further assessments. No opioid-related or treatment-related serious AEs were reported.ConclusionMedian time to first opioid administration did not differ between the two groups. No differences in secondary outcomes were observed on the basis of volume administered. These initial findings suggest further study of liposome bupivacaine administered via TAP infiltration as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen in laparoscopic robotic prostatectomy may be warranted.

Liposomal bupivacaine infiltration into the transversus abdominis plane for postsurgical analgesia in open abdominal umbilical hernia repair: results from a cohort of 13 patients.

BackgroundAchieving adequate control of postsurgical pain remains a challenge in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration has been shown to provide postsurgical analgesia following lower abdominal surgery. We assessed the safety and efficacy of a prolonged-release liposomal formulation of the local anesthetic bupivacaine administered via infiltration into the TAP in a cohort of patients undergoing open abdominal umbilical hernia repair.MethodsPatients included in the study were 18–75 years of age, had American Society of Anesthesiologists physical classification status 1–3, and underwent open abdominal umbilical hernia repair with ultrasound-guided TAP infiltration immediately after surgery using an equal-volume bilateral infusion of liposomal bupivacaine 266 mg (diluted to 30 mL in normal saline). Outcome measures included patient-reported pain intensity (11-point numeric rating scale), satisfaction with postsurgical analgesia (5-point Likert scale), incidence of opioid-related adverse events, and time to first use of supplemental rescue analgesia.ResultsThirteen patients underwent surgery and received bilateral TAP infiltration with liposomal bupivacaine; TAP infiltration failed in the first patient. Mean numeric rating scale pain scores were 0.6 immediately before TAP infiltration and remained ≤2.3 through 120 hours after infiltration; mean scores at 120 hours and 10 days were 0.9 and 0.4, respectively. Ten patients (77%) required supplemental analgesia; median time to first use was 11 hours. At discharge and day 10, 54% and 62% of patients, respectively, were “extremely satisfied” with postsurgical analgesia (Likert score 5). There were no opioid-related or other adverse events.ConclusionAlthough the current study was limited by both its lack of a control group and its small size, to our knowledge, it is the first published report on use of liposomal bupivacaine for TAP infiltration. In this cohort, liposomal bupivacaine was observed to be well tolerated with encouraging analgesic efficacy.

Infiltration of Liposome Bupivacaine into the Transversus Abdominis Plane for Postsurgical Pain Management in a 39-Year-Old Female Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is reportedly complex and multifaceted, and has been cited as the most frequent reason for prolonged convalescence. The use of opioid therapy, a common pain management strategy, can be limited by potentially severe adverse events. In this report, I describe the use of liposome bupivacaine, administered via transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration, in a patient undergoing emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient underwent an emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy complicated by an unexpected correction of partially detached mesh implanted during prior ventral hernia repair. The patient was discharged to the post-anesthesia care unit, but reported a pain score of 8 (11-point scale; 10 = worst possible pain). Fentanyl rescue therapy failed to alleviate the pain. Liposome bupivacaine was administered via bilateral TAP infiltration as postsurgical rescue pain medication, part of a multimodal analgesic regimen. The patient tolerated the TAP infiltration well and subsequently reported a pain score of 2 and a pain satisfaction score of 10 (11-point scale; 10 = completely satisfied). No additional analgesics were required. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 1, resumed normal activities in <24 hours, and remained satisfied with the pain management for 5 days. TAP infiltration of liposome bupivacaine was associated with improvement in postsurgical pain control, eliminated the need for additional opioids, and reduced the length of hospital stay from the usual 3 days to <24 hours. Liposome bupivacaine administered via TAP infiltration shows potential as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Transversus abdominis plane infiltration for laparoscopic gastric banding: A pilot study

To estimate an effect size for the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration on quality of recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery. The pilot study was a randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled trial. Patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery were randomized to receive a bilateral TAP infiltration with 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine or saline. The evaluated outcomes included quality of recovery-40 (QoR-40) at 24 h, postoperative opioid consumption and pain. Data was examined using the Mann-Whitney U test. Nineteen subjects were recruited. There was a positive trend favoring the TAP infiltration group in global QoR-40 scores at 24 h after surgery, median [interquartile range (IQR)] of 175.5 (170-189) compared to 170 (160-175) in the control group (P = 0.06). There also a positive trend toward a lower cumulative opioid consumption in the TAP infiltration group, median (IQR) of 7.5 (2.5-11.5) mg iv morphine equivalents compared to 13 (7-21.5) in the control group (P = 0.07). Correlation analysis (Spearman's Rho) demonstrated an inverse relationship between 24 h cumulative opioid consumption and global QoR-40 scores, -0.49 (P = 0.03). The use of multimodal analgesic techniques to reduce opioid related side effects is particularly desirable in morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric reduction surgery. The TAP infiltration seems to have a clinically important effect in reducing postoperative opioid consumption and improve quality of recovery after laparoscopic gastric band surgery in morbid obese patients. Future studies to confirm the beneficial effects of the TAP infiltration in these patients are warranted.

Transversus Abdominis Plane Infiltration and Quality of Recovery After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

To examine the effect of a preoperative transversus abdominis plane infiltration on postoperative quality of recovery and analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy. The study was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Seventy-five healthy women were randomized to receive a preoperative infiltration with 0.5% ropivacaine, 0.25% ropivacaine, or saline. Postoperative quality of recovery score (QoR-40), pain, and opioid consumption were assessed up to 24 hours after the surgical procedure. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test. Post hoc pair-wise comparisons were made using Dunn test. P<.05 was required to reject the null hypothesis. Sixty-six patients completed the study. Patients' baseline characteristics and surgical factors were not different between groups. The ropivacaine group experienced a better quality recovery and less postoperative pain than the saline group. The median difference (99.2% confidence interval) in global recovery scores at 24 hours after surgery was 28 (QoR score 4-39, P=.001) for ropivacaine 0.5% and 28 (QoR score 10-43, P<.001) for ropivacaine 0.25% compared with saline, respectively. The 0.5% ropivacaine group also had less pain, lower opioid consumption, and faster postanesthesia care unit discharge than the saline group. Linear regression demonstrated an inverse relationship between opioid consumption and global quality of recovery at 24 hours (P<.001). The transversus abdominis plane infiltration improves quality of recovery. There was an inverse linear relationship between postoperative opioid consumption and quality of recovery. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01074229. I.