Application of TAP Block in Laparoscopic Urological Surgery: Current Status and Future Directions

Amid the opioid crisis, postoperative pain management is a major challenge for practitioners. Recent pain management guidelines emphasize the importance of using regional anesthesia as part of opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia. This report aims to review recent evidence regarding the utilization of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in minimally invasive urologic surgery.

TAP block has been shown to improve early and late pain at rest, and to reduce opioid consumption after minimally invasive surgery. These benefits have indirectly reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium, pneumonia, urinary retention, and falls. Compared to epidural analgesia, TAP block provides similar pain control, has a lower incidence of hypotension, and is associated with a shorter length of stay. Few studies focus specifically on the outcomes of TAP block in minimally invasive urologic surgery. TAP block decreases postoperative pain and reduces opioid consumption without increasing complications. TAP block should be integrated as an indispensable component in enhanced recovery after surgery protocols.