Ultrasound-guided subcostal transversus abdominis plane blocks with liposomal bupivacaine vs. Non-liposomal bupivacaine for postoperative pain control after laparoscopic hand-assisted donor nephrectomy: A prospective randomised observer-blinded study

We compared the effect of subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with liposomal bupivacaine to TAP block with non-liposomal bupivacaine on postoperative maximal pain scores in patients undergoing donor nephrectomy. Sixty patients were prospectively randomly assigned to receive ultrasound-guided bilateral TAPs with either 1.3% liposomal bupivacaine and normal saline or 0.25% non-liposomal bupivacaine with adrenaline. There was a significant decrease in maximal pain scores in the liposomal bupivacaine TAP group when compared with the non-liposomal bupivacaine group median (IQR [range]), 24–48 h after injection, 5 (3.0–5.2 [0–10]) vs. 6 (4.5–7.0 [1––9]) p = 0.009; 48–72 h after injection, 3 (2.0–5.0 [0–8]) vs. 5 (3.0–7.0 [0–10]) p = 0.02; and in opioid use 48–72 h after injection, mean (SD) μg equivalents of fentanyl 105 (97) vs. 182 (162) p = 0.03. Liposomal bupivacaine via subcostal TAP infiltration provided superior analgesia up to 72 h after injection when compared with non-liposomal bupivacaine.