Chinese medical sciences journal = Chung-kuo i hsüeh k'o hsüeh tsa chih / Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Ultrasound-guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Improves Postoperative Analgesia and Early Recovery in Patients Undergoing Retroperitoneoscopic Urologic Surgeries: A Randomized Controlled Double-blinded Trial.
Objective To evaluate the effects of ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block on postoperative analgesia and early recovery in patients undergoing retroperitoneoscopic urologic surgeries. Methods This was a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial. Eligible patients scheduled for retroperitoneoscopic urologic surgeries were randomly assigned to two groups. Group TAP received ultrasound-guided TAP block with 0.5% ropivacaine 20 ml at 30 minutes before surgery, and Group C received TAP sham block with normal saline. ⋯ Compared to the Group C, the Group TAP had lower visual analogue scale pain scores within two postoperative days (all P<0.05). They also had less consumption of intraoperative fentanyl (2.0±0.5 vs. 3.8±0.7 μg/kg, P<0.05), reduced incidence of postoperative rescue analgesic usage (12.5% vs. 45.0%, P<0.05), and lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting within postoperative 48 hours (12.5% vs. 25.0%, P<0.05) when compared to the Group C. In addition, Group TAP had a shortened post-anesthesia care unit stay (25±8 vs. 49±12 minutes, P<0.05), and a greater proportion of patients discharged within postoperative three days (57.5% vs. 35.0%, P<0.05). Conclusion Preoperative ultrasound-guided TAP block is an effective technique to improve postoperative analgesia and early recovery in patients undergoing retroperitoneoscopic urologic surgeries.