Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block

This non-randomized controlled study evaluated the efficacy of a right-sided unilateral Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block for postoperative pain management in 60 adult patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Participants were equally divided into a control group receiving standard care and an intervention group that received an ultrasound-guided TAP block using 0.25% bupivacaine prior to extubation. While all patients received scheduled paracetamol and dexketoprofen, tramadol was administered as a rescue analgesic for resting pain scores of 5 or higher. The study's primary goal was to compare postoperative pain using the Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (VNRS) at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours, with secondary outcomes tracking total rescue tramadol consumption, surgical variables, and postoperative complications to determine the TAP block's overall clinical benefit.