Comparison of Analgesic Effect of Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block versus Conventional Analgesics in Patients Undergoing Different Obstetrics and Gynecological Surgeries

Abstract

Background: Different Obstetrics and Gynecological Surgeries are performed on daily practice of gynecologists and obstetricians and almost all patients experienced postoperative pain. Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block emerged as an effective modality in treatment of postoperative pain, and increasingly become popular, and further studies are still needed for more precise assessment of its effect particularly in Iraq.

Objective: to assess effect of TAP Block versus conventional analgesics in management of postoperative pain after different obstetrics and gynecological surgeries

Patients and Methods: This was an observational comparative study conducted during the period March 2022 to January 2023. Included 84 Iraqi women who met the inclusion criteria who were undergone different gynecological and obstetrical operations. Patients were assigned into two equal  groups, in the first group Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block was utilized according to the patient request and the second group received conventional analgesics. Numerical rating scale (NRS) used to assess the pain intensity among the patients and compared between both groups.

Results: Patients in TAP block group had significantly lower pain score postoperatively, (P. value < 0.001) at 1,4,8 and 12 hours postoperatively, and 0.001 at the 24 hours comparison, no significant effect had been found for age, body mass index, type of surgery and ASA class of patients on the pain scores in TAP block group, (P>0.05). Opioid consumption and need were significantly less with TAP block compared to conventional group, (P<0.001).

Conclusion: TAP block is an effective and safe analgesic technique for reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing different obstetrics and gynecological surgeries