Efficacy of Transversus Abdominal Plane Block for Post-Operative Pain Management in Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A...

A transverse abdominal plane (TAP) block is a type of peripheral nerve block where local anesthetic agents are injected into the nerve fibers of the anterior abdominal wall to provide pain relief during gastric surgery. An appendectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the US, indicated for the treatment of acute appendicitis, and involves the surgical removal of the appendix.

The TAP block is one of many pain management options available to patient care teams during laparoscopic appendectomy procedures, so its efficacy must be weighed against alternative pain management options. While there is strong evidence that the TAP block is either equivalent to or superior to, alternative methods of pain management for the broad discussion of abdominal surgeries, we could not identify a clear answer on whether the TAP block is the most efficacious option for the specific purpose of laparoscopic appendectomy post-operative pain management. The decision to use the TAP block will be influenced by specific patient circumstances and the individual clinical expertise of the patient provider.