Effectiveness of TAP Block for Pain Management in Abdominoplasty with Flank Liposuction: A Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative Administration Outcomes

Abstract

Aims: The incidence of enduring pain following abdominoplasty ranges from 5% to 32%. Our goals were to assess how the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block affects the occurrence of post-abdominoplasty pain and investigate possible connections between when the block is administered, whether it is done before the incision of the surgical operation (preemptively) or post the completion of the surgery, and its impact.

Materials and Methods: Seventy-five patients scheduled for elective abdominoplasty with flank liposuction were chosen at random to have a TAP block while under general anesthesia, either pre-incisional or prior to coming out of anesthesia, or a sham block (group under control that merely had a needle pierced). A visual analogue scale was used to measure pain at rest and during movement after surgery. Sedation, surgical nausea and vomiting ratings, and perioperative analgesic needs were noted.

Results: Both groups showed considerably less severe ache levels than the group under control, however, Group II's pain scores were significantly higher than Group I's (P0.05). Patients who had TAP block had a substantial decrease in their analgesic needs (P0.0001), with the pre-incisional group seeing a more pronounced drop. Compared to other groups, the pre-incisional group experienced a much lower incidence of discomfort.  At time point 12 hours after surgery, the control group experienced a greater incidence of sedation (61%) than the other groups (18% and 32%, respectively).  Nevertheless, the difference between 12 and 48 hours (awake and alert) was comparable.  The incidence was reduced among patients who had TAP block nausea and vomiting following surgery (PONV) (16% and 29% in Groups I and II, respectively), compared to 66.5% in Group III.  The TAP block was not the cause of any problems.

Conclusions: TAP block appears to be a suitable option for postoperative pain management; as compared to blockade before anesthesia emergence, before incision, TAP block seemed to lessen the intensity of acute pain and the need for analgesics, despite its unfavorable adverse consequences and frequency of persistent pain.