Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A retrospective study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects on postoperative pain of ketamine and dexmedetomidine addition to bupivacaine in a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted patients who underwent ultrasound-guided TAP block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients were divided into three groups: Group BD (Bupivacaine+Dexmedetomidine), Group BK (Bupivacaine+Ketamine), and Group B (Bupivacaine). Our primary outcomes were pain scores with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), postoperative first analgesic time and tramadol consumption in 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were intraoperative hemodynamic changes, rescue analgesic requirement and side effects. RESULTS: The first analgesic administration time was significantly shorter in Group B and significantly longer in Group BD than the other two groups. Pain score at rest in Group B at 0(th) hours was significantly higher than that of Group BD and VAS pain score Group BD at 2(nd) hours was significantly lower than the other two groups. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding tramadol consumption and the requirement of rescue analgesics. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine and ketamine can be added to the bupivacaine for the TAP block without major side-effects. The combination of dexmedetomidine and bupivacaine provides better analgesia in the first postoperative 2(nd) hour than other groups and hence extends the time to the first analgesic demand.