Ultrasound Guided TAP Block Efficacy Compared to Patient-Controlled Analgesia in Women Undergoing Caesarean Section

Background: Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane (USG-guided TAP) block is now utilized as an auxiliary analgesic to reduce the usage of opioids during surgery and to reduce the use of systemic analgesics for postoperative pain management. Objective: The aim of the current work was to compare USG-guided TAP block efficacy and patient-controlled analgesia in women undergo caesarean section. Patients and Methods: This study conducted on 60 pregnant women aged 19-40 years who were scheduled to undergo caesarean section under general anaesthesia, attended at Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University. Results: Both groups' VAS values declined considerably over time (p=0.05) in the within-group comparison. The SpO2 values did not show any significant difference between the study groups and in the within-group comparison. While, they were considerably higher in Group 1 patients at the postoperative 30th minute and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours (p=0.003) in the between-groups comparison. In the between-groups comparison, there were no significant differences in VAS values. Nausea-vomiting were significantly increased among patients of group II (2.0 ±0.7) than group I (1.2±0.4) at 30th minute (p=0.015). On contrast, Nausea-vomiting did not show any significant differences among group I and II after, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. Conclusion: TAP block could be considered a more desirable approach than intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) since it avoids the systemic effects of morphine used in PCA and its analgesic impact begins sooner.