Transversus abdominis plane infiltration for laparoscopic gastric banding: A pilot study.

AIM: To estimate an effect size for the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration on quality of recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery. METHODS: The pilot study was a randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled trial. Patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric band surgery were randomized to receive a bilateral TAP infiltration with 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine or saline. The evaluated outcomes included quality of recovery-40 (QoR-40) at 24 h, postoperative opioid consumption and pain. Data was examined using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Nineteen subjects were recruited. There was a positive trend favoring the TAP infiltration group in global QoR-40 scores at 24 h after surgery, median [interquartile range (IQR)] of 175.5 (170-189) compared to 170 (160-175) in the control group (P = 0.06). There also a positive trend toward a lower cumulative opioid consumption in the TAP infiltration group, median (IQR) of 7.5 (2.5-11.5) mg iv morphine equivalents compared to 13 (7-21.5) in the control group (P = 0.07). Correlation analysis (Spearman’s Rho) demonstrated an inverse relationship between 24 h cumulative opioid consumption and global QoR-40 scores, -0.49 (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The use of multimodal analgesic techniques to reduce opioid related side effects is particularly desirable in morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric reduction surgery. The TAP infiltration seems to have a clinically important effect in reducing postoperative opioid consumption and improve quality of recovery after laparoscopic gastric band surgery in morbid obese patients. Future studies to confirm the beneficial effects of the TAP infiltration in these patients are warranted.