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Transversus abdominis plane blocks and enhanced recovery pathways: making the 23-h hospital stay a realistic goal after laparoscopic colorectal surgery

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Abstract

Background

Although enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) may permit early recovery and discharge after laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LC), most publications report that the mean hospital stay is 4 and 6 days. This study evaluates the addition of a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block to the standard ERP.

Methods

In this study, 35 consecutive elective patients received a TAP block at the end of LC. The patients were matched by operation, diagnosis, age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) with 35 recent cases and followed in a prospective institutional review board (IRB)-approved database. All the patients were managed with a standardized ERP. The surgeon placed TAP blocks under laparoscopic guidance that infiltrated 15 ml of 0.5 % Marcaine on both sides of the abdomen.

Results

The cases included 8 low pelvic anastomoses, 4 proctectomies with or without an ileal pouch anal anastomosis, 5 sigmoid/left colectomies, 13 ileocolic/right colectomies, 1 total colectomy, and 5 others. The mean age was 59 years for the TAP group and 64.1 years for the control group (p = 0.21). The mean hospital stay was 2 days for the TAP patients and 3 days for the control patients (p = 0.000013). Of the 35 TAP patients, 13 went home on postoperative day (POD) 1 (37 %), 12 on POD 2 (34 %), 8 on POD 3 (23 %), and the remainder on POD 4. Of the 35 control patients, 1 went home on POD 1 (3 %), 10 on POD 2 (29 %), 10 on POD 3 (29 %), 11 on POD 4 (31 %), and the remainder on POD 5 to 8. The TAP patients required fewer narcotics postoperatively than the control patients (respective mean morphine equivalents, 31.08 vs. 85.41; p = 0.01).

Discussion

A bilateral TAP block significantly improved the results of an established ERP for patients undergoing LC. Surgeon-administered TAP blocks may be an economical and efficient method for improving the results of LC.

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Disclosures

Conor P. Delaney is the founder Socrates Analytics and has an equity interest in this company. He also has licensed a patent to Ethicon for anorectal surgery, has received honoraria for teaching and research funding from Covidien, and has been a consultant to Pacira, Ferring, Adolor, and Tranzyme. Joanne Favuzza and Karen Brady have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Colorectal Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44106-5047, OH, USA

    Joanne Favuzza, Karen Brady & Conor P. Delaney

Authors
  1. Joanne Favuzza
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  2. Karen Brady
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  3. Conor P. Delaney
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Correspondence to Conor P. Delaney.

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Favuzza, J., Brady, K. & Delaney, C.P. Transversus abdominis plane blocks and enhanced recovery pathways: making the 23-h hospital stay a realistic goal after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Surg Endosc 27, 2481–2486 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-012-2761-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-012-2761-y

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