Comparison of early postoperative analgesia between LTAP (Laparoscopic assisted Transversus Abdominus Plane) block and USG-RS (ultrasound guided Rectus Sheath) block in laparoscopic colorectal surgery – Randomized control trial.

Minimally invasive surgery in colorectal surgery has become the standard of care for

cancer of the large intestine. For the extraction of the resected specimen a midline incision is

made. However, postoperative pain is significantly high and often requires intravenous opioid

analgesia.

Regional anaesthesia techniques help mitigating post-operative pain without the side effects

of opioids and help in early recovery. The somatic innervation of the abdomen traverses

through the tranversus abdominal plane and instillation of local anaesthetics into the plane.

The ubiquitous availability of ultrasound had made the regional anaesthesia more reliable and

safer, while requiring some skills to effectively administer the block. In laparoscopic surgery,

administering local anaesthetics under direct vision.

In colorectal surgery, the incision is made midline where the TAP block may not cover

adequately. Rectus sheath block may be more effective in covering midline incision.

Our study aims to compare the efficacy of LTAP (administered by surgeons) and bilateral

rectus sheath block (by anaesthetists) in decreasing immediate postoperative pain and

evaluation of the effects of vital capacity.