J Anesth Perioper Med. 2018;5(5):242-246. https://doi.org/10.24015/ebcmed.japm.2018.0093
From the Department of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Correspondence to Dr. XiangDong Chen at xiangdong_chen@yahoo.com.
EBCMED ID: ebcmed.japm.2018.0093 DOI: 10.24015/ebcmed.japm.2018.0093
Background
The purpose of this study is to explore whether the use of intravenous analgesics, antiemetic drugs and pain scores will decrease when transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is used as a supplementary method for the treatment of acute postoperative pain in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
Methods
This was a single-center, retrospective study. We reviewed the medical records of the patients who underwent elective abdominal surgery and subsequently sent to PACU between 1st November and 31st December 2016. Comparisons of the number of patients on whom TAP blocks were performed, were made between 2 groups: patients who underwent a laparoscopic operation (LA) and patients who underwent an open operation (OP). TAP blocks were given under ultrasound-guidance (US) with 20 ml 0.33% ropivacaine diluted in saline each side. Comparisons of the other three outcomes/endpoints (number of patients given intravenous analgesics, antiemetic drugs in the PACU, pain scores upon discharge the PACU) were made between 2 groups: patients who received TAP block (T) and those who did not (NT).
Results
A total number of 718 patients were enrolled in the study. There was no significant difference between groups T and NT when comparing the number of patients who receive TAP blocks and the use of intravenous analgesics and antiemetic drugs administered to patients. Pain scores in group T are higher than in group NT.
Conclusion
TAP block did not reduce the use of intravenous analgesics, antiemetic drugs and pain scores when used as a supplementary approach for the treatment of acute postoperative pain in the PACU in the present study. (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.)
Article Type
Original Article
Declaration of Interests
The authors have no other potential conflicts of interest for this work.
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by a grant (No. 81571075) from the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
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