Unadjusted outcomes following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery patients in the TAP block and no-TAP groups
| TAP | No-TAP | Difference (95% CI of the difference)* | P value†‡ | |
| Sample size, n | 94 | 50 | ||
| Median PACU time (IQR) in minutes | 84 (66–103) | 81 (66–119) | 3 (−22 to 15) | 0.72 |
| Median pain burden (IQR) in score*hours | ||||
| 0–6 hours | 34.2 (27.4–42.5) | 39.4 (27.3–43.6) | −5.2 (−9.2 to 0.06) | 0.24 |
| 6–12 hours | 28.6 (17.8–42.3) | 29.8 (18.4–40.0) | −1.2 (−8.1 to 6.6) | 0.97 |
| 12–24 hours | 70.4 (42.2–93.4) | 72.2 (41.8–88.6) | −1.8 (−11.5 to 16.5) | 0.8 |
| 24–48 hours | 97.5 (64.4–125.8) | 97.7 (56.6–137.2) | −0.2 (−21.3 to 37.9) | 0.54 |
| 48–72 hours | 121.4 (71.2–143.2) | 90.7 (61.1–113.9) | 30.6 (−31.9 to 69.5) | 0.37 |
| Median average pain score (IQR) on a 0–10 scale | 3.7 (2.6–4.5) | 3.4 (2.5–5.5) | 0.3 (−0.4 to 1.2) | 0.38 |
| Median opioid analgesia (IQR) in MME | ||||
| Total opioid administered | 171 (142–201) | 211 (163 to 261) | −40 (−10 to −65) | <0.01 |
| Postoperative opioids administered on request | 51 (37–70) | 70 (44–97) | −19 (−35 to −6) | <0.01 |
| Median (IQR) nausea/vomiting treatment n (%) | ||||
| Total antiemetic doses | 8 (6–12) | 10 (7–13) | −2 (−4 to 0) | 0.03 |
| Tolerate oral liquids and medications (<4 hours) n (%) | 74 (79) | 33 (67) | 12 (−4 to 29) | 0.14 |
| Median time to full liquid diet (IQR) in hours | 19 (16–21) | 21 (19–23) | −2 (−3 to −1) | <0.01 |
| Median length of hospitalization (IQR) in hours | 47 (32–59) | 51 (34–59) | −4 (−18 to 12) | 0.12 |
*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, postanesthesia care unit; TAP, transversus abdominis plane block.