Postoperative Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block in Lower Abdominal Surgery

Aim: To determine the postoperative analgesic efficacy of ultrasound guided tranversus abdominis plane blocks in different types of lower abdominal surgery.

Methodology: This study was conducted during July 2018 to December 2018 at the Department of Anesthesiology, Peoples Medical University & Hospital Nawabshah after the approval of ethical review committee PUMHSW Nawabshah, Pakistan. Patients undergoing elective lower abdominal surgeries between the age of 18-65 years and American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) I to IV were included in this study while those patients with infection at the proposed site of injection, allergy to local anesthetics, bleeding or coagulation disorders were excluded from this study. Informed written consent for the study was taken from all the patients. The sample size was sixty. Patients’ oxygen saturation (SpO2), base line heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and respiratory rate (R/R) was monitored and recorded. Ultrasound guided TAP block was performed after induction of general anesthesia (GA) included Post-Operative pain was determined by visual analog scale (VAS).

Results: A total of 60 patients were included in this study. Distribution of age 38.33% (n=17) for 26-35 years, gender 30% (n=18) male and 70% (n=42) females, height 5.1-5.6 feet in 51.67% (n=31) were observed while weight ≥50kg was observed in 66.67% (n=40) patients. ASA status 58.33% (n=35) stands in ASA status II-IV. Regarding surgical procedures 28.2% (n=17) underwent LS C-Section, 13.3% (n=8) appendectomy, 8.3% (n=5) Prostectomy were observed.

Conclusion: Our study results showed that Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block provided accuracy and reliability and effective postoperative analgesia when used in surgeries of abdominal wall and minimal requirement of additional parental analgesics.