Ultrasound (US)-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is used as a part of a multimodal analgesic regimen in the postoperative period.
This study explained
that the Posterior approach TAP block (PTAP) provided a sensory block that
involved a greater number of dermatomes and involvement of more cephalad
dermatome blocked to sharp touch as compared to the Lateral approach TAP block
(LTAP) under US guidance. The posterolateral spread of the local analgesic agent
to the paravertebral space might be linked to the high number of dermatomes.
Ultrasound
(US)-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is used as a part of a
multimodal analgesic regimen in the postoperative period. Lateral approach TAP
block (LTAP) has been widely used for postoperative analgesia after lower
abdominal surgeries. Posterior approach TAP block (PTAP), which is achieved by
more posterior blockade of the anterior ramus of the spinal nerve, also
provides profound postoperative analgesia after transverse lower abdominal
incision. The study investigated the dermatomal sensory block following LTAP
and PTAP under US guidance.
Twenty-seven adult
female patients undergoing the laparoscopic resection of ovarian tumours under
general anaesthesia were randomly divided into two groups, those receiving LTAP
(Group L, n = 14) and those receiving PTAP (Group P, n =
13). Before induction of general anaesthesia, all patients were given bilateral
TAP blocks with 15 ml of 0.25% levobupivacaine on each side under US guidance,
and the sensory blockade was evaluated.
The data are
expressed as median (interquartile range [IQR]). PTAP produced a median sensory
blockade to sharp touch of three dermatomal segments (IQR 3–4), the most
cephalad being T-10 (IQR T-9–T-10), whereas LTAP produced blockade of a median
of two segments (IQR 2–2, P = 0.002), the most cephalad being T-10
(IQR T-10–T-10, P = 0.005).
PTAP
produced a sensory block that involved a greater number of dermatomes and
involvement of more cephalad dermatome blocked to sharp touch, compared with
LTAP under US guidance.
Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology
Comparison of dermatomal sensory block following ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block by the lateral and posterior approaches: A randomized controlled trial
Tomonori Furuya et al.
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