title: Efficacy of laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients.
abstract: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block technique seems to offer one of the most efficient methods for a local pain control. Our aim is to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of TAP block for post-operative pain control under laparoscopic vision in elderly patients during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients aged more than 65 years old, who had cholecystectomy due to symptomatic cholelithiasis, were retrospectively evaluated. The patients that were operated under general anesthesia + laparoscopic TAP block and those who were operated only under only general anesthesia were compared according to their' age and gender, comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and length of stay in the hospital. Median (±interquartile range) values of post-operative 24th-hour-VAS for pain was found consecutively 2 (±1-3) in TAP block + group and 3 (±2-5) in TAP block - group. The median post-operative 24th-hour-VAS value in overall patients was three. Patients' VAS values were higher in the TAP block - group with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001). Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was found for other parameters in two groups. The laparoscopic-guided TAP block can easily be performed and has potential for lower visceral injury risk and shorter operational time. Efficacy, safety and other advantages (analgesic requirements, etc.) make it an ideal abdominal field block in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Sevket Yilmaz Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Bursa. dtihan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tihan
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Totoz
authors.forename: Merve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokocin
authors.forename: Gulcin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.forename: Tugba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koc Calıkoglu
authors.forename: Talar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vartanoglu
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Celebi
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dandin
authors.forename: Ilker Mustafa
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Kafa
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies