Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Comparison With the Non-TAP Group

Background: Postoperative pain caused by laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be controlled by different methods. The study aimed to observe the efficacy of laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the procedure in comparison to the non-TAP method.

Methods:  In this double-blinded randomized clinical trial, the subjects who had come for cholecystectomy were randomly divided into two groups (n = 43 in each group). Group A received laparoscopy-guided subcostal TAP block bilaterally (0.25% bupivacaine, 20 ml each) along with parenteral analgesics (100 mg tramadol injection in 100 ml normal saline IV) SOS as rescue analgesia, and group B received parenteral analgesics (injection paracetamol 1 gm IV) eight hourly and injection tramadol 100 mg in 100 ml normal saline IV SOS as rescue analgesia.

Result:  A bulge was visualized by the surgeon through a laparoscope as a signature view for confirming the placement of local anesthetic in TAP. Based on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for assessment of postoperative pain and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for assessment of pain at 30 minutes, four hours, eight hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours postoperatively, patients of both groups were assessed. According to the VAS, the pain assessment was better in the TAP block group at 30 minutes post-surgery than in the non-TAP group. As a primary outcome, 37% of TAP block group cases were recovered without any rescue analgesia. VAS score revealed a significant difference in postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) among the TAP block and non-TAP groups. PONV at four hours, eight hours, and 12 hours showed significantly lesser incidences in the TAP group as compared to the non-TAP group (p-value: 0.015, 0.028, and 0.055, respectively).

Conclusion:  The cost-effectiveness of the TAP block method is 20 times lesser than the non-TAP method. Thus, a laparoscopic-guided TAP block could offer better postoperative analgesia at a low cost with a similar advantage to a USG-guided TAP block.