Techniques in coloproctology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative pain relief after hand-assisted laparoscopic colon surgery: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Although hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) offers patients smaller surgical incisions, they still experience pain. Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal analgesic package for patients undergoing HALS. The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block on postoperative pain control (pain score and analgesic use) and other outcomes in colon cancer patients undergoing hand-assisted laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. ⋯ The ultrasound-guided TAP block given during hand-assisted laparoscopic colon surgery as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen is a feasible and effective technique for postoperative analgesia in colon cancer patients and significantly reduces both pain experienced by patients and short-term postoperative analgesic use and promotes early ambulation. Future studies are needed to determine the efficacy and costs/benefits of the ultrasound-guided TAP block in HALS.