Randomized, Prospective, Double Blind Study Comparing Single Shot Versus Continuous Transverses Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block for Postoperative Analgesia After Laparoscopic Live Donor Nephrectomy

This study is a randomized, prospective, double blind study comparing single shot versus continuous transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia after laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy.

Good pain control after surgery has been shown to decrease complications. To address the problem of postoperative pain control in donor nephrectomy patients,the study investigators began performing Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) blocks. The TAP block involves injection of local anesthetic between the abdominal muscle planes (internal oblique muscle and transversus abdominis muscle), to block the somatic nerves that supply sensation to the skin, muscles, and parietal peritoneum of the anterior abdominal wall. Prior reports of TAP blocks have shown that it provides good analgesia for postoperative pain after abdominal surgery. However because the duration of postoperative pain exceeds that of the single shot TAP block, the investigators hypothesized that by placing a catheter through which a continuous infusion of local anesthetic could be delivered, investigators could provide analgesia throughout the postoperative period. The study investigators also hypothesized that improved analgesia would decrease the need for opioid pain medications, hence decreasing the side effects associated with opioid use.

This study is designed to test our hypothesis that placing a TAP catheter is superior to single shot TAP, because it provides a longer duration of analgesia and decreases narcotic use.