Efficacy of transversus abdominis plane block in patients undergoing emergency laparotomies

Pain experienced following laparotomy is largely due to abdominal wall incision. Effective mitigation of this pain is vital to improve patient satisfaction and for early ambulation. We evaluated the efficacy of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia, as a component of multimodal analgesia.

Sixty adult ASA physical status I to III patients undergoing emergency laparotomy under general anesthesia were recruited for this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. The TAP block was performed before skin incision, using the double pop technique in the midaxillary line, at the level of the umbilicus with a 22 gauge blunt needle. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either 25 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine or normal saline (NS), bilaterally. Tramadol was used for postoperative analgesia via a patient-controlled analgesia pump (PCA) along with an intramuscular (IM) injection of diclofenac sodium, 12-hourly. Each patient was assessed in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) immediately after shifting and every two hours thereafter, for 24 hours, for pain, nausea, sedation scores, and pruritus. The two-hourly and total tramadol consumption, over 24 hours, was assessed.

The mean total pain scores were significantly less in the TAP block group (48.07 ± 6.76) when compared to the control group (62.63 ± 6.66). The total tramadol consumption was decreased by 36% in the TAP block group (281.33 ± 69.66 mg) compared to the control group (439 ± 68.59 mg). Tramadol consumption measured every two hours was also less up to 18 hours postoperatively, after which, there was an increase in pain scores and tramadol consumption in the TAP block group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of nausea, vomiting, sedation or pruritis.

TAP block is an effective component of the multimodal analgesia regimen for reducing postoperative pain and opioid requirement after emergency laparotomy.