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ANALGESIA

The Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Provides Effective Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

John Carney, MB^*, John G. McDonnell, MB, FCARCSI^*, Alan Ochana, MB, Raj Bhinder, MB, and John G. Laffey, MD, MA, BSc, FCARCSI^*

From the *Department of Anaesthesia, Clinical Sciences Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway; Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and Clinical Research Facility, Galway University Hospitals, Galway, Ireland.

Address correspondence to John G. Laffey, MD, MA, BSc, FCARCSI, Department of Anaesthesia, Clinical Sciences Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. Address e-mail to john.laffey{at}nuigalway.ie.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy suffer significant postoperative pain. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a recently described approach to providing analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall. We evaluated the analgesic efficacy of the TAP block in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy via a transverse lower abdominal wall incision, in a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

METHODS: Fifty females undergoing elective total abdominal hysterectomy were randomized to undergo TAP block with ropivacaine (n = 24) versus placebo (n = 26) in addition to standard postoperative analgesia comprising patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia and regular diclofenac and acetaminophen. All patients received a general anesthetic and, before surgical incision, a bilateral TAP block was performed using 1.5 mg/kg ropivacaine (to a maximal dose of 150 mg) or saline on each side. Each patient was assessed postoperatively by a blinded investigator in the postanesthesia care unit and at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 h postoperatively.

RESULTS: The TAP block with ropivacaine reduced postoperative visual analog scale pain scores compared to placebo block. Mean (±sd) total morphine requirements in the first 48 postoperative hours were also reduced (55 ± 17 mg vs 27 ± 20 mg, P < 0.001). The incidence of sedation was reduced in patients undergoing TAP blockade. There were no complications attributable to the TAP block.

CONCLUSIONS: The TAP block, as a component of a multimodal analgesic regimen, provided superior analgesia when compared to placebo block up to 48 postoperative hours after elective total abdominal hysterectomy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Bonnet, J. Berger, and C. Aveline Transversus abdominis plane block: what is its role in postoperative analgesia? Br. J. Anaesth., October 1, 2009; 103(4): 468 - 470. [Full Text] [PDF]