Comparing TAP Blocks by Anesthesiologists and Surgeons
Author Information
Author(s): Irvine Dylan, Rennie Christopher, Coughlin Emily, Thornton Imani, Mhaskar Rahul, Huang Jeffrey, Hsiang Ning Luk
Hypothesis
Is there a difference in efficacy between ultrasound-guided TAP blocks performed by anesthesiologists and laparoscopic-guided TAP blocks performed by surgeons?
Conclusion
US-TAP and LAP-TAP blocks may be equally effective for reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption, but LAP-TAPs are faster and more cost-effective.
Supporting Evidence
- 88.9% of studies found no significant difference in postoperative pain scores between US-TAP and LAP-TAP.
- 77.8% of studies found no significant difference in opioid consumption between the two methods.
- LAP-TAP was faster to perform in several studies.
- US-TAP was found to be more expensive than LAP-TAP.
Takeaway
Doctors can use two types of pain relief methods for surgery, and both work well, but one method is quicker and cheaper.
Methodology
A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs and retrospective studies comparing US-TAP and LAP-TAP blocks.
Potential Biases
Potential for bias due to variability in study designs and outcome reporting.
Limitations
Limited RCTs available, small sample sizes in some studies, and variability in outcome measures.
Participant Demographics
Included various surgical cases with a mix of adult and pediatric patients.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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