Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block and Systemic Analgesia for Postoperative Pain Relief Following Lower Abdominal Surgery

Background: Effective postoperative pain management is essential for early recovery, improved patient satisfaction, and reduction of postoperative complications. Although systemic analgesia remains the conventional method for pain control after abdominal surgery, it is associated with opioid-related adverse effects. Ultrasoundguided Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block has emerged as an effective regional analgesic technique that may provide superior postoperative pain relief while reducing opioid consumption. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block versus systemic analgesia for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based prospective randomized comparative study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Gujarat over 12 months. Sixty patients undergoing elective lower abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to receive either ultrasound-guided TAP block (n=30) or systemic analgesia (n=30). Postoperative pain (VAS), time to first rescue analgesia, analgesic consumption, adverse effects, and patient satisfaction were assessed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, with p <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Patients receiving ultrasound-guided TAP block had significantly lower postoperative VAS pain scores, longer time to first rescue analgesia (8.4 ± 2.1 vs. 3.6 ± 1.2 hours), and lower rescue analgesic consumption (72 ± 28 vs. 148 ± 36 mg) than the systemic analgesia group (p<0.001). Postoperative nausea and vomiting were less frequent (10.0% vs. 30.0%), patient satisfaction was higher (8.9 ± 0.8 vs. 6.8 ± 1.1), and no major TAP blockrelated complications were observed. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided TAP block is a safe and effective technique that provides superior postoperative analgesia, prolongs pain relief, reduces opioid requirements and related adverse effects, and improves patient satisfaction compared with systemic analgesia. It should be considered an integral component of multimodal postoperative pain management for lower abdominal surgery.