Surgeon-administered Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block is Associated With Decreased Opioid Usage and Length of Stay Following Radical Cystectomy.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of surgeon-administered Transversus Abdominis Plane block (sTAP) on opioid usage and length of stay (LOS).

METHODS

Starting in April 2018, two surgeons at our institution gradually introduced sTAP for radical cystectomy (RC) patients. We performed a retrospective observational cohort analysis of RC patients catalogued in a prospectively maintained database using the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Interactive Auditing System. Two surgeons adopted the sTAP block technique in April 2018. We included patients undergoing RC for bladder malignancy under Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol between January 2017 and August 2020. Primary outcomes included LOS, and postoperative day (POD) 0-3 total opioids consumption measured by morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Multivariable linear or logistic models evaluated the association of TAP with outcomes while controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Among 178 patients included in analysis, 84 patients underwent sTAP block and 94 did not. Multivariable analysis demonstrated significantly lower POD 0-3 total opioid usage (106.4 vs 192.2 MME, P = .004), and mean LOS (5.6 vs 7.7 days, P <.001) among the sTAP group.

CONCLUSION

sTAP appears to be an effective adjunct to RC care associated with improved LOS, and POD 0-3 opioid consumption. Further studies are needed to optimize TAP block technique and anesthetic composition.