Comparative Study on Postoperative Analgesia With Transversus Abdominis Plane Block to Local Anesthetic Infiltration With Ropivacaine in Laparoscopic Abdominal Surgery

Pain is a natural phenomenon. Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Pain is distressing and detrimental in post-operative patients. Management of post-operative pain has been a challenge to anesthetists. Pain treatment increase speed of recovery, minimum patient suffering, decrease length of stay, reduced hospital costs, increased patient satisfaction, increase productivity and quality of life.

Peripheral nerve blockade or field block with local anesthesia is helpful in managing postoperative pain effectively whilst avoiding complication associated with intravenous narcotics or neuraxial blockade. Regional block will help in reduction of dose and frequency of intravenous narcotics used in postoperative period, hence minimizing the side effects of narcotics.

Ultrasound guided abdominal nerve blocks are increasingly being used for anaesthesia and analgesia. The Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block is a peripheral nerve block that results in anesthesia of the abdominal wall. This plane represents an anatomical potential space with nerves leaving the plane to innervate the abdominal muscles and skin. Transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block) is a novel procedure to provide postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic surgery.

Ropivacaine has a greater degree of motor sensory differentiation. Ropivacaine has been safely used up to the dose of 200 mg (100 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine) as a field block for post operative analgesia. We are giving a larger volume of ropivacaine (20 ml on each side) expecting to cover the upper abdomen when TAP block is performed via posterior approach.

NULL HYPOTHESIS There is no difference in post operative analgesia with Transversus Abdominis Plane block and local anesthetic infiltration after laparoscopicabdominal surgery