Paediatric anaesthesia & critical care
Clinical effectiveness of transversus abdominis plane block versus local anaesthesia wound infiltration for postoperative pain relief after laparoscopic appendicectomy in children: A multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled phase III trial
Authors' conclusion
TAP block does not appear to provide a greater opioid-sparing effect than LAWI of trocar insertion sites after laparoscopic appendicectomy in children, when combined with systemic multimodal analgesia including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 3 to 15 years admitted for laparoscopic appendicectomy, two tertiary paediatric surgery centres; with standardised systemic multimodal analgesiaanalysed
- Participants
- 46 vs 50
- Comparison
- Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) vs Infiltration
- TAPn = 46
- Infiltrationn = 50reference
- Primary endpoint
- Total dose of nalbuphine delivered
- Follow-up
- Within 24 h after surgery
Methodological detailsmulticentre, double-blind, phase III
- Multicentre
- Double-blind
- Phase III
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Total nalbuphine dose · 24 h
P = 0.95
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| FLACC scale values (1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h) | P = 0.78 |
| Time to first dose of nalbuphine | P = 0.095 |
| Time from end of surgery to first mobilisation | P = 0.18 |
Face Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) scale values (1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h)
- Did not significantly differ between groups
Time to first dose of nalbuphine
- Not significantly different between groups
Time from end of surgery to first mobilisation
- Not significantly different between groups
Original publication
Clinical effectiveness of transversus abdominis plane block versus local anaesthesia wound infiltration for postoperative pain relief after laparoscopic appendicectomy in children: A multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled phase III trial. Eur J Anaesthesiol. Published 5 March 2026. doi:10.
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