A comparative study of the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block efficacy on post-bariatric vs aesthetic abdominoplasty with flank liposuction.
The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block acts on the nerves localised in the anterior abdominal wall muscles. We evaluated the efficacy on post-bariatric (PB) patients undergoing body-contouring abdominoplasty. We retrospectively evaluated PB patients undergoing abdominoplasty with flank liposuction and compared results to a matched group of TAP aesthetic patients. Outcomes evaluated were the analgesic requirements during the early postoperative days. Fifty-one patients (PB n = 27, aesthetic n = 24) were assessed. No complications were observed. All PB patients required analgesia until the second postoperative day contrarily to most aesthetic ones. Patients with greater flap resected and higher pre-abdominoplasty BMI had greater morphine consumptions. In PB patients, the larger amount of tissues resected corresponded to a greater stimulation of pain fibres that cannot be paralleled by a concomitant increase of the local anesthetic administered. This partially invalidates TAP's efficacy on PB patients.
Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Frenchay Hospital, Frenchay Park Road, Bristol, BS16 1LE, UK. ggravante@hotmail.com
Gianpiero
G
Gravante
Francesca
F
Castrì
Francesco
F
Araco
Antonino
A
Araco
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015187:Lipectomy; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies