Table 1.
Characteristics of included randomized controlled studies
| Author /Year | Group(n) | Types of surgery | Surgical approach | TAP block technique | Catheter site | Local anesthetic administered for TAP block | Local anesthetic administered for Epidural analgesia | Anesthetic strategy | Additional NSAIDs drugs for TAP block | Postoperative opioid analgesia required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kadam 2013 [23] | TAP group(22) EA group(19) | Colorectal Upper gastrointestinal Urological | laparotomy | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Posterior | 0.375% ropivacaine 20 ml single-injection bilaterally, followed by 0.2% ropivacaine at 8 mL/h through each catheter for 72 h | 0.2% ropivacaine(8-15 ml) bolus followed by 0.2% ropivacaine at 5–15 ml/h | GA | paracetamol 1.0 g every 8 h | PCA using fentanyl 10 to 40 μg bolus per press with a lockout time of 6 min and no basal infusion |
| Niraj 2011 [22] | TAP group(27) EA group(31) |
Partial hepatectomy Pancreatic surgery Radical nephrectomy Biliary bypass |
laparotomy | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Subcostal | 0.375% bupivacaine (1 mg/kg) single-injection bilaterally, followed a bolus of 0.375% bupivacaine(1 mg/kg) very 8 h through each catheter for 72 h | 0.25% bupivacaine(20 ml) followed by 0.125% bupivacaine with 2 μg/ml Fentanyl at 6-12 mL/h for 72 h (2 ml bolus, lockout 30mins) | GA | paracetamol 1 g every 6 h | intravenous tramadol as required |
| Niraj 2014 [13] | TAP group(30) EA group(31) |
Right hemicolectomy Left hemicolectomy Anterior resection Sigmoid colectomy Ileocolic resection |
laparoscope | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Posterior | 0.375% levobupivacaine (1.25 mg/kg)single-injection bilaterally,followed by 0.25% levobupivacaine at 8–10 mL/h through both catheters for 72 h | 0.25% Bupivacaine 20 mL followed by 0.125% bupivacaine with 2 μg/mL fentanyl at 8–12 mL/h (2 ml bolus, lockout 30mins) | GA | paracetamol 1 g every 6 h, diclofenac 150 mg/day | intravenous tramadol as required |
| Ganapathy 2015 [25] | TAP group(26) EA group(24) |
Small bowel surgery Large bowel surgery Ostomy reversal Whipples’operation |
laparotomy | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Subcostal Inferior | 0.2% ropivacaine 30 ml single-injection bilaterally followed by 0.35% ropivacaineat 4–5 ml/h for 72 h | 0.25% bupivacaine 5 ml followed by 0.1% bupivacaine with hydromorphone(10 mg/mL) at 8 ml/h for 72 h | GA | naproxen 500 mg twice daily, paracetamol 650 mg every 6 h | PCA using hydromorphone 0.2 mg bolus per press with a lockout time of 6 min and no basal infusion |
| Lyer 2017 [27] | TAP group(33) EA group(36) | lower abdominal surgery | laparotomy | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Posterior | 0.125% bupivacaine 20 ml single-injection bilaterally followed by 15 ml bolus every 8 h through each catheter for 48 h | 0.125% bupivacaine 10 ml followed by 0.125% bupivacaine 10 ml every 8 h for 48 h | GA | Paracetamol 1 g was given to patients if their VAS scores were > 3/10 | intravenous tramadol as required |
| Qin 2016 [26] | TAP group(35) EA group(36) | laparoscopic colorectal surgery | laparoscope | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Posterior | 0.375% ropivacaine 1.25 mg/kg single-injection bilaterally followed by 0.2% ropivacaine at 6–8 ml/h through both catheters for 48 h | 0.375% ropivacaine 10 ml followed by 0.15% ropivacaine with fentanyl 2 μg/ml at 3–6 mL/h for 48 h (3 ml bolus, lockout 15mins) | GA | / | Intravenous tramadol as required |
| Wahba 2014 [24] | TAP group(22) EA group(22) | Large bowel surgery Small bowel surgery Gastrectomy Abdominal Hernia | laparotomy | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Subcostal | 0.25% bupivacaine 20 ml single-injection bilaterally followed by 15 ml bolus every 8 h through each catheter for 48 h | 0.125% bupivacaine 10 ml followed by 0.125% bupivacaine at 6–8 ml/h for 48 h | GA | / | PCA 1 mg morphine bolus per press with a lockout interval of 10 min |
| Dai 2017 [15] | TAP group(27) EA group(30) | laparoscopic colorectal surgery | laparoscope | US-guided, single injection followed by continuous infusion | Bilateral Posterior | 0.375% ropivacaine 0.15 ml/kg single-injection bilaterally followed by 0.2% ropivacaine at 0.1 ml/kg/h through both catheters for 48 h | 0.375% ropivacaine 8-10 ml followed by 0.15% ropivacaine at a 3–4 ml/h for 48 h (3 ml bolus, lockout 15mins) | GA | / | intravenous tramadol as required |
IV intravenous, PCA patient controlled analgesia, TAP transverse abdominis plane, US ultrasound, GA General anesthesia