Oblique sub-costal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) catheters: an alternative to epidural analgesia after upper abdominal surgery.

Full Abstract

SUMMARY: The authors present three cases where catheters placed in the oblique sub-costal transversus abdominis plane provided prolonged analgesia after upper abdominal surgery. Patient 1 was admitted with severe sepsis following major hepatobiliary surgery. Bilateral catheters facilitated weaning from mechanical ventilation and provided adequate analgesia for 4 days. Patient 2 underwent emergency laparotomy for intestinal obstruction having refused consent for epidural analgesia. The transversus abdominis plane catheters provided a significant opioid sparing effect. A unilateral catheter offered rescue analgesia in patient 3 when the epidural catheter was displaced. We put forward a case for oblique sub-costal transversus abdominis plane catheters as an alternative to epidural analgesia after upper abdominal surgery.

Author information

Author/s: Niraj, G (G); Kelkar, A (A); Fox, A J (AJ);

Affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK. nirajgopinath(-atsign-)yahoo.co.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article

Journal: Anaesthesia (Anaesthesia), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 64 (issue 10) : pp 1137-40

Dates: Created 2009/09/08; Completed 2009/10/07;

PMID: 19735408, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/7/2009, IMS Date: )

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