Postoperative Analgesia for Abdominal Laparoscopic Surgery: Tap Block vs Peri-Orificial Infiltrations

Introduction/Purpose: The “transverse abdominal plane block” or TAP block was described by Rafi in 2001. It describes an approach to the neurofascial plane of the transverse abdominal muscle via the Jean-Louis Petit triangle and provides analgesia of the entire homolateral hemi abdomen. The aim of our study was to compare post-operative analgesia and post-operative morphine requirements between transverse abdominal plane block (TAP) and peri-orificial infiltration during laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Material and method: Prospective, randomized study conducted over a 2-year period. The study was conducted in the operating theatre of the Saint Louis Regional Hospital in Senegal. All adult patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery were included. Clinical aspects, pain scales and morphine consumption were analyzed. Results: A total of 60 patients were enrolled: 30 patients in the TAP group and 30 patients in the infiltration group. The average age was 32.9 years. The indications for laparoscopy were acute appendicitis in 50% of cases, gallbladder stones in 16% and inguinal hernia in 8%. For the TAP group, the mean numerical pain scale was 3.9 at 6 hours post-operatively and 2.1 at 24 hours post-operatively. For the infiltration group, the mean numerical pain scale was 4.3 at 6 hours post-op and 3 at 24 hours post-op. Morphine consumption at 6 hours post-op was on average 0.4 mg/patient for the TAP group and 0.9 mg/patient for the infiltration group. Discussion/conclusion: Analgesia provided by ultrasound-guided TAP block for laparoscopic abdominal surgery appears to be identical to periorificial infiltration. However, the simplicity and reproducibility of ultrasound-guided TAP block gives it a definite advantage.