Transversus abdominis plane block by landmark technique with ropivacaine versus bupivacaine for post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing lower segment caesarean section deliveries

Abstract

Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block is an efficacious abdominal field block which is widely used component of multimodal analgesia. Compare the efficacy of Inj. Ropivacaine 0.2% and Inj. Bupivacaine 0.2% when used in TAP block for post-operative analgesia in lower segment caesarean section deliveries(LSCS) done under spinal anaesthesia. Randomized double blinded prospective study conducted after institutional ethics committee in our institute. We have recruited sixty patients scheduled for an elective LSCS which were enrolled into two groups to receive TAP block with bupivacaine 0.2% 15ml Group B (n=30) versus ropivacaine 0.2% 15ml Group R (n=30) + dexamethasone 2mg bilaterally. TAP block was administered on completion of surgery. Primary objective was to compare time to rescue analgesia in postoperative period. Secondary Objectives wereto compare hemodynamic response during postoperative period, measure the intensity of pain using visual analogue scale (VAS), number of analgesic doses in first 24 hours, patient satisfaction with pain management and complications if any.SPSS software 16 version. Time for rescue analgesia was shorter in Group B (6.7 hour) than in Group R (9.47 hour) (p = 0.00). VAS was lower in Group R. Higher dose of analgesics was required in Group B (p=0.008). All this led to higher patient satisfaction score in Group R. This study concludes that 0.2% ropivacaine provided a longer duration of analgesia compared to 0.2% bupivacaine when used in TAP block for post-operative analgesia in LSCS deliveries.