Unadjusted outcomes following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery patients in the TAP block and non-TAP groups
| TAP | Non-TAP | Difference (95% CI of the difference)* | P value†‡ | |
| Sample size, n | 172 | 193 | ||
| Median PACU time (IQR) in minutes | 82 (67–97) | 85 (67–111) | −3 (−10 to 5) | 0.31 |
| Median pain burden (IQR) in score*hours | ||||
| 0–6 hours | 33.9 (26–40.7) | 35.6 (24.7–44.1) | −1.6 (−4.5 to 0.8) | 0.28 |
| 6–12 hours | 26.7 (16.7–38.9) | 33.4 (19.1–43.6) | −6.7 (−11.0 to −2.3) | <0.01 |
| 12–24 hours | 60.5 (40.0–84.1) | 66.9 (47.5–88.7) | −6.4 (−14.7 to 3.2) | 0.04 |
| 24–48 hours | 97.6 (61.7–137.4) | 104.9 (62.9–132.2) | −7.3 (−20.6 to 18.0) | 0.95 |
| 48–72 hours | 95.2 (21.7–150.0) | 114.6 (89.8 –145.6) | −19.4 (−92.9 to 37.6) | 0.41 |
| Median average pain score (IQR) on a 0–10 scale | 3.2 (2.2–4.4) | 3.6 (2.6–4.7) | −0.4 (−0.8 to −0.1) | 0.03 |
| Median opioid analgesia (IQR) in MME | ||||
| Total opioid administered | 158 (122–200) | 178 (135–227) | −20 (−34 to −3) | 0.02 |
| Postoperative opioids administered on request | 45 (30–67) | 60 (39–84) | −15 (−20 to −2) | <0.01 |
| Median (IQR) nausea/vomiting treatment n (%) | ||||
| Total antiemetic doses | 9 (6–11) | 10 (7–13) | −1 (−2 to 0) | <0.01 |
| Tolerate oral liquids and medications (<4 hours) n (%) | 143 (83) | 133 (69) | 14 (6 to 24) | <0.01 |
| Median time to full liquid diet (IQR) in hours | 18 (16–21) | 20 (18–24) | −2 (−3 to 0) | <0.01 |
| Median length of hospitalization (IQR) in hours | 35 (32–52) | 49 (33–56) | −14 (−17 to −10) | <0.01 |
*Differences in continuous data presented as median difference, differences in categorical or binomial presented as percent difference.
†P value compares TAP to no-TAP group.
‡Wilcoxon ranked-sum test used to compare medians and χ² test used to compare proportions.
IQR, interquartile range (first to third quartile); MME, mg morphine equivalents (oral); PACU, post anesthesia care unit; TAP, transversus abdominis plane block.