The efficacy of laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block on reducing postoperative narcotic usage in patients undergoing minimally invasive adrenalectomy

Ultrasound-guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block is Effective as Laparoscopic Trocar site infiltration in Postoperative Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Adrenal Surgery

BACKGROUND

Pain management in patients undergoing laparoscopy is still a matter of debate as several techniques have been proposed to reduce postoperative analgesic consumption and improve recovery. Among these, transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is considered as safe, effective, and easy to perform under ultrasound guidance; even so, recently laparoscopically guided trocar site anesthetic infiltration has been proposed as a "surgeon-dependent alternative to TAP block." The aim of this evaluation is to compare these analgesic techniques in the setting of laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective evaluation of a prospectively maintained database. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A patients received laparoscopic-assisted trocar site infiltration of ropivacaine; Group B patients received bilateral ultrasound-guided TAP block with ropivacaine. All patients received 24 h infusion of 20 mg morphine postoperatively; pain was checked at 6, 24 and 48 h after surgery. A rescue analgesia was given if numerical rating scale (NRS) score was > 4 or on patient request.

RESULTS

One hundred and three patients were enrolled in the evaluation (57 in group A and 46 in group B). There were no differences in operative time, complications and postoperative stay, and no complications related to trocar site infiltration. There were no differences in NRS at 6, 24, and 48 hours as well as in patients requiring further analgesic administration.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic-guided trocar site ropivacaine infiltration has similar pain outcomes compared to ultrasound-guided TAP block in the management of postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Since there is no difference among these techniques, the decision can be based on surgeon or anesthesiologist preference.

Laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block reduces postoperative opioid requirements after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

Surgeons directly contribute to the over-prescription of opioids. Alternative postoperative pain management strategies are necessary to reduce opioid dispensation and combat the opioid epidemic. We set out to examine the effectiveness of a laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block on reducing opioid requirements after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort analysis, we compared opioid naïve patients who underwent an elective, outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block with patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone between January 2018 and June 2021 at a single institution. Patient characteristics, perioperative pain scores, and postoperative analgesic requirements were compared between cohorts.

RESULTS

There were 200 patients included in the study (laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block, n = 100; laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone, n = 100). The average postoperative pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit were equivalent between the groups (laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block = 3.39 versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone = 4.17, P = .12), with the mean postanesthesia care unit opioid requirements significantly lower in patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block (12.1 vs 20.4 oral morphine equivalents, P < .001). Patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block were prescribed fewer opioids on discharge (mean 77.5 vs 92.9 oral morphine equivalents, P < .05) and reported using a lower proportion of their opioid prescription at follow-up (83.2% vs 100%, P < .001). Of the patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a transversus abdominis plane block, 65% reported using over-the-counter pain medications compared with 82% of patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Performing a laparoscopic transversus abdominis plane block during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and effective strategy to reduce postoperative opioid requirements for the treatment of acute postoperative pain.

Surgical treatment of adrenal tumors during pregnancy

While most adrenal tumors are identified incidentally and are non-functional, hormone-secreting tumors can cause morbidity and mortality. Hemodynamic lability and hypertension in pregnancy are associated with worse maternal and fetal outcomes. Achieving a diagnosis of hormone excess due to adrenal tumors can be clinically more difficult in the gravid patient due to normal physiologic alterations in hormones and symptoms related to pregnancy. This review focuses on some nuances of the diagnostic work-up, perioperative care, and surgical management of adrenally-mediated cortisol excess, primary aldosteronism, and pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in the pregnant patient.