Use of Dexmedetomidine as adjunct with Bupivacaine in TAP block for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Authors

  • Meamoona Shabbir Author
  • Ayesha A Author
  • Atif Nazir Author
  • Mahnoor Nasir Author
  • Tanzeela Iram Author
  • Sidra Shabbir Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51985/

Keywords:

Dexmedetomidine, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, transverses abdominas plane block

Abstract

 Objective: To analyze adjunct effect of Dexmedetomidine along with Bupivacain in TAP block for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

 

Study Design and Setting: Prospective interventional study was conducted 1st September 2022 to 31st January 2023 at Anesthesia department of PAF Hospital Islamabad, affiliated with Air University.

 

Methodology: A total of 60 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy between age 18 to 60 years were included. Patients having hypertension, heart disease, diabetes were excluded. Group A patients were given TAP block using 10ml 0.25 % Bupivacaine on each side.Group B patients were given 10ml of 0.25% Bupivacaine with injection Dexmedetomidine 0.5 µg/kg in divided dose on each side under ultrasound guidance. Patients were followed for postoperative pain in first 24 hours.

 

Results: Data was analyzed on SPSS 25.Mean ± SD of pain score on VAS was 6.54 ± 1.98 versus 3.54 ± 1.87 at 4 hours ( p value =0.0001) , 5.51 ± 1.16 versus 2.89 ± 1.65 at 8 hours ( p value=0.0001) , 4.89 ± 1.11 versus 2.13 ± 1.25 at 12 hours ( p value=0.0001) ,4.47 ± 1.07 versus 1.63 ± 0.85 at 24 hours ( p value=0.0001) in group A and B respectively. Stratification was done with age, gender, ASA status and duration of surgery .Results of study were not affected by these factors.

 

Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine when added as an adjunct to Bupivacaine is better than Bupivacaine alone in TAP block for postoperative analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy 

References

1. Matam R, Chawla V, Trivedi S, Bhardwaj A, Singh S.

Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

Versus Intraperitoneal Instillation of Bupivacaine after

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy–A Randomized Control Trial.

J Med Sci Health. 2023;9(2):169-176. Doi : 10.46347/jmsh.v

9i2.22.394

2. Malik MJ, Malik NJ. Surgical Strategies for Gallbladder

Disease in Cirrhotic Patients: A Comparison of Open versus

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Sjrmu. 2024;28(1):103-5.

3. Soni G, Singh D, Sood A, Rathore YS, Ranjan P, Singh A,

Choudhary N, Chumber S. Pain Relief in Laparoscopic

Cholecystectomy: Pre-emptive Versus Post-operative Local

Anaesthetic Infiltration—A Randomized Control Trial. Indian

Journal of Surgery . 2024:1-7. doi.org/10.1007/s12262-024-

04127-5

4. Cho HY, Hwang IE, Lee M, Kwon W, Kim WH, Lee HJ.

Comparison of modified thoracoabdominal nerve block through

perichondral approach and subcostal transversus abdominis

plane block for pain management in laparoscopic

cholecystectomy: a randomized-controlled trial. Korean J

Pain. 2023 ;36(3):382-391. doi: 10.3344/kjp.23114.

5. Bourgeois C, Oyaert L, Van de Velde M, Pogatzki-Zahn E,

Freys SM, Sauter AR, Joshi GP, Dewinter G. Pain management

after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A systematic review and

procedure-specific postoperative pain management

(PROSPECT) recommendations. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2024

;41(11):841-55. doi: 10.1097/EJA.0000000000002047

6. El-misady MM, El-rahman AS, Shabayek IAE. Comparison

between ultrasound guided transversus abdominis plane (tap)

block and local anesthetic infiltration in patients undergoing

laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Al-Azhar medical journal.

2023 ; 52(4):1107-18. doi:10.21608/amj.2023.326881

7. Rodriguez JZ, Edgley C, Lee S, Leigh N, Wolfe R, Sanford

D, et al. Preoperative transversus abdominis plane block

decreases intraoperative opiate consumption during minimally

invasive cholecystectomy. Surg Endosc. 2023 ;37(3):2209-

2214. doi: 10.1007/s00464-022-09445-x

8. Dost B, Cassai AD, Balzani E, Geraldini F, Tulgar S,

Ahiskalioglu A, et al. Analgesic benefits of pre-operative

versus postoperative transversus abdominis plane block for

laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a frequentist network metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Anesthesiol.

2023 ;23(1):408. doi: 10.1186/s12871-023-02369-6

9. Zikri ZHB, Volis M, Mazur A, Orlova T, Alon H, Bar Yehuda

S, et al. The Effect of Various Combinations of Peripheral

Nerve Blocks on Postoperative Pain in Laparoscopic

Cholecystectomy: A Comparative Prospective Study. Int J

Clin Pract. 2023 ;2023:8864012. doi: 10.1155/2023/8864012.

10. Korkutata Z, Tekeli AE, Kurt N. Intraoperative and

Postoperative Effects of Dexmedetomidine and Tramadol

Added as an Adjuvant to Bupivacaine in Transversus

Abdominis Plane Block. J Clin Med. 2023 ;12(22):7001. doi:

10.3390/jcm12227001.

11. Shukla U, Prabhakar T, Malhotra K, Srivastava D.

Intraperitoneal bupivacaine alone or with dexmedetomidine

or tramadol for post-operative analgesia following laparoscopic

cholecystectomy: A comparative evaluation. Indian J Anaesth.

2015; 59(4): 234-9. Doi[;v c v: 10.4103/0019-5049.155001

12. Morgan GE, Mikhail MS. Morgan & Mikhail's clinical

anesthesiology. McGraw-Hill Education. 2022; 18:477

13. Iaquinandi F, Mongelli F, Christoforidis D, Cianfarani A, Pini

R, Saporito A, et al. Laparoscopic vs. ultrasound-guided

transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in colorectal surgery:

a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Surg Endosc. 2024;38(3):1119-30. doi: 10.1007/s00464-023-

10658-x.

14. Varagani S, Safwan M, Makutam V, Moparthi S, Vaishnavi

S, Kondru S, et al. A comparative study on assessment of

safety and efficacy of Diclofenac, Naproxen and Etoricoxib

in reducing pain in osteoarthritis patients-An observational

study. Int J Curr Res Med Sci. 2024;10(8):31-8. doi:10.22192

/ijcrms.2024.10.08.003

15. Khanum R, Anwar A, Faridi M, Gauhar TM, Ahmed HW,

Ahmed R, et al. Is TAP block better than bupivacaine spray

for relieving post-cholecystectomy pain?. J Rehman Med Inst.

2024 ;10(2):25-30. Doi: org/10.52442/jrmi.v10i2.839

16. Mowafi MM, Elsenity MA, Elbeialy MAK. Surgical

transversus abdominis plane block versus surgical rectus

sheath block for postoperative pain control in morbid obese

patients undergoing major gynaecological surgery: a

prospective, randomized, blinded study. Ain-Shams J

Anesthesiol . 2022;14(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42077-

022-00223-4

17. Aksu R, Patmano G, Biçer C, Emek E, Çoruh AE. Efficiency

of bupivacaine and association with dexmedetomidine in

transversus abdominis plane block ultrasound guided in

postoperative pain of abdominal surgery. Bras J Anestesiol

2018;68(1): 49-56. doi: 10.1016/j.bjan.2017.04.021

18. Brummett CM, Norat MA, Palmisano JM, et al. Perineural

administration of dexmedetomidine in combination with

bupivacaine enhances sensory and motor blockade in sciatic

nerve block without inducing neurotoxicity in rat.

Anesthesiology. 2008;109(3):502-51. doi: 10.1097/ALN.

0b013e318182c26b.

19. Ozalp G, Tuncel G, Savli S, Celik A, Doger C, Kaya M. The

analgesic efficacy of dexmedetomidine added to ropivacaine

patient controlled interscalene analgesia via the posterior

approach. J Anaesth. 2006;21: 409-12. DOI:10.1097/

00003643-200606001-00790

20. Roofthooft E, Joshi GP, Rawal N, Van de Velde M.

PROSPECT guideline for elective caesarean section: updated

systematic review and procedure-specific postoperative pain

management recommendations. Anaesthesia. 2021 ;76(5):665-

680. doi: 10.1111/anae.15339.

21. Chen Z, Liu Z, Feng C, Jin Y, Zhao X. Dexmedetomidine as

an Adjuvant in Peripheral Nerve Block. Drug Des Devel Ther.

2023;17:1463-1484. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S405294.

22. Nag DS, Gehlot P, Sharma P, Kumar H, Kumar Singh U.

Comparative Study of Ropivacaine and Ropivacaine With

Dexmedetomidine in Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP)

Block for Post-operative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing

Cesarean Sections. Cureus. 2024 ;16(7):e65588. doi: 10.7759/

cureus.65588.

23. Korkutata Z, Tekeli AE, Kurt N. Intraoperative and

postoperative effects of dexmedetomidine and tramadol added

as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in transversus abdominis plane

block. J Clin Med. 2023 ;12(22):7001. doi: 10.3390/ jcm1222

7001

24. Sinha J, Pokhriyal AS, Asthana V, Nautiyal R. Dexmedetomidine vs Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Levobupivacaine

in Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Total

Abdominal Hysterectomies. Anesth Pain Med.

2023;13(6):e142059. doi: 10.5812/aapm-142059.

Downloads

Published

2025-10-14

Issue

Section

Original Articles