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Oblique sub‐costal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) catheters: an alternative to epidural analgesia after upper abdominal surgery
Author(s) -
Niraj G.,
Kelkar A.,
Fox A. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2009.06006.x
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , transversus abdominis , anesthesia , catheter , laparotomy , abdominal surgery
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.