Modified Thoracoabdominal Nerves Block Through Perichondral Approach: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the postoperative analgesic efficacy and safety of the modified thoracoabdominal nerve block through the perichondral approach (M-TAPA) in abdominal surgeries.

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

We searched electronic databases to identify relevant studies comparing M-TAPA with conventional analgesic techniques. The primary outcome was the requirement for rescue analgesia at 12 and 24 hours postsurgery. Secondary outcomes included the 11-point numerical rating scale pain scores at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hours following surgery, global quality of recovery scores, and postoperative adverse events.

Five randomized controlled trials involving 308 patients were analyzed. M-TAPA showed no significant difference in the requirement for rescue analgesia at 12 hours (relative risk [RR]: 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62, 1.22; P = .424; I² = 40.7%; P_h = .185) and 24 hours (RR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.22, 1.99; P = .252; I² = 90.3%; P_h < .001) postsurgery compared to non-M-TAPA. No significant differences in numerical rating scale pain scores or global quality of recovery scores were found between the two groups (all P < .05). However, M-TAPA was associated with a lower occurrence of nausea (RR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.68; P < .001; I² = 0%; P_h = .834), vomiting (RR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.62; P < .001; I² = 0%; P_h = .884), and itching (RR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.70; P = .002; I² = 0%; P_h = .826).

There was no significant difference in analgesic efficacy and safety between M-TAPA and non-M-TAPA techniques.