The effect of transversus abdominis plane block for pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is disadvantage to patients. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block technique is reported an effective analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in recent years. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of TAP block for pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Two reviewers searched the major medical databases for eligible Randomized clinical trials. We analyzed eight included articles and found that patients received TAP block resulted in significantly less analgesic consumption during the first 24 hours (MD = -4.63; 95% CI -7.14 to -2.11; P = 0.0003). VAS pain scores at 6 h and 24 h at rest were significantly decreased in TAP block group (MD = -1.89; 95% CI -3.07 to -0.70; P = 0.002, MD = -1.31; 95% CI -2.12 to -0.50; P = 0.002 respectively), as well as VAS pain scores at 6 h on moving (MD = -0.98; 95% CI -1.62 to -0.34; P = 0.003). While pain scores at 24 h on moving were insignificant (MD = -0.99; 95% CI -2.11 to -0.14; P = 0.09). To concluded, TAP block was an effective postoperative analgesia method for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.