TAP Blocks Reduce Pain for Ambulatory Laparoscopic Procedures

Performing a transversus abdominis plane block on patients undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic procedures can reduce pain, decrease opioid consumption and provide earlier discharge readiness in patients, according to a study published in the Sept. 2011 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.

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The researchers enrolled 75 healthy women undergoing outpatient gynecological laparoscopy and randomly assigned the patients to either a preoperative TAP block using saline, ropivacaine 0.25 percent or ropivacaine 0.5 percent. Needle placement for the TAP blocks was performed using ultrasound guidance, and 15 mL of the study solution was injected bilaterally by a blinded investigator.

The researchers measured QoR-40 score and analgesic use 24 hours after surgery. The study found that TAP blocks with ropivacaine 0.25 and 0.5 percent reduced pain and provided an effective adjunct in a multimodal analgesic strategy.

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