A Prospective Study Comparing 0.25% Bupivacaine and 0.375% Ropivacaine in Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Abdominal Surgery

Abstract

Transversus abdominis plane block is a beneficial method of pain relief after abdominal surgeries. In the recent past, there had been an increased use of TAP block in laparoscopic surgeries, both as intraoperative and postoperative source of pain relief. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare equipotent doses of two commonly used local anesthetic drugs with respect to efficacy and duration. Methods: Sixty adults undergoing elective laparoscopic surgeries were randomised to receive ultrasound-guided TAP block at the end of the surgical procedure with either 0.25% bupivacaine (Group I, n = 30) or 0.375% ropivacaine (Group II, n = 30). And these patients were analysed based on the quality and duration of pain relief, 24 hour mean rescue analgesic consumption and complications. Results: Patients receiving TAPB with ropivacaine and bupivacaine did not have significant differences between the two with respect to the parameters studied. Conclusion: Equipotent doses of ropivacaine and bupivacaine were almost indistinguishable in TAP block and were comparable in terms of duration of analgesia, quality in terms of VAS scores and 24 hours analgesic consumption without any drug related or block related complications. Although both the drugs are in par with each other, bupivacaine carries the risk of cardiotoxicity as quoted in previous studies. Hence, ropivacaine may be considered as a better alternative to bupivacaine in TAP block.