Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane blocks for patients undergoing laparoscopic hand-assisted nephrectomy: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Figures & data

Table 1 Patient characteristics

Variablea	Overall (n=21)	Placebo (n=11)	Active (n=10)
Age at surgery, years	53 (23–79)	53 (40–79)	53 (23–74)
Male	12 (57%)	6 (60%)	6 (55%)
Body mass index, kg/m^2	24.3 (20.0–31.9)	25.0 (20.0–31.9)	23.9 (22.0–30.2)
Side of surgery, left	16 (76%)	7 (70%)	9 (82%)
Operative time (minutes)	181 (102–269)	168 (102–224)	217 (109–269)
Minutes from needle insertion to block completionb	15 (4–33)	13 (4–33)	15 (10–20)
Blood reflux from needlec	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Time from end of surgery to Foley catheter removal (hours)	19.9 (17.6–382.9)	20.0 (17.6–330.9)	19.9 (18.8–382.9)
Days from surgery to discharge	2 (2–6)	2 (2–4)	2 (2–6)

Notes:

a Categorical variables are reported as n (%), continuous variables are reported with median (minimum, maximum)

b four patients in the placebo group and two in the active group did not have needle insertion time collected

c two placebo patients did not have blood reflux from needle data collected.

Table 2 Postoperative morphine consumption

Variablea	Placebo (n=11)	Active (n=10)	P-valueb
Total pain medication at hour 0 (mg)	0.0 (0.0, 0.0, 1.7, 6.7)	0.0 (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0)	0.094
Total pain medication at hour 2 (mg)	6.7 (0.0, 2.6, 10.0, 12.0)	2.0 (0.0, 0.0, 7.2, 20.0)	0.38
Total pain medication at hour 6 (mg)	10.7 (0.0, 3.3, 14.6, 28.6)	6.6 (0, 2.2, 9.9, 34.8)	0.50
Total pain medication at hour 12 (mg)	8.0 (0.0, 5.3, 14.7, 28.0)	8.8 (0.0, 4.1, 10.0, 20.0)	0.83
Total pain medication at hour 24 (mg)	12.7 (0.0, 6.6, 37.0, 55.5)	9.0 (0.0, 3.3, 10.0, 97.3)	0.20
Total 24-hour opiate consumption (mg)	48.7 (14.0, 24.4, 73.3, 84.6)	26.6 (11.7, 16.5, 36.3, 151.3)	0.13
Minutes from end of surgery to first PCA morphine request	50 (16, 36, 90, 166)	59 (30, 48, 115, 455)	0.37c

Notes:

a Continuous variables are reported with median (minimum, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, maximum)

b P-value given based on Wilcoxon rank sum test

c P-value given based on log rank test.

Abbreviation: PCA, patient-controlled morphine analgesia.

Table 3 Abdominal pain score post surgery at rest and with bending knee

Variablea	Placebo (n=11)	Active (n=10)	P-value
VAS pain score at rest hour 0	1 (0, 0, 6, 10)b	0 (0, 0, 6, 10)	0.85
VAS pain score at rest hour 2	2 (0, 0, 5, 10)	1 (0, 0, 3, 6)	0.61
VAS pain score at rest hour 6	2 (0, 1, 5, 10)	3 (0, 2, 4, 6)	0.89
VAS pain score at rest hour 12	3 (1, 1, 4, 10)	2 (0, 1, 5, 5)	0.47
VAS pain score at rest hour 24	4 (0, 2, 6, 8)	1 (0, 0, 2, 4)	0.017
VAS pain score with bending knee hour 0	1 (0, 0, 6, 10)b	0 (0, 0, 6, 10)	0.85
VAS pain score with bending knee hour 2	2 (0, 0, 6, 10)b	1 (0, 0, 4, 6)	0.68
VAS pain score with bending knee hour 6	2 (0, 0, 5, 10)	3 (0, 0, 4, 7)	0.97
VAS pain score with bending knee hour 12	4 (0, 1, 6, 10)	3 (0, 0, 5, 7)	0.62
VAS pain score with bending knee hour 24	5 (2, 3, 7, 10)	1 (0, 0, 2, 6)	0.002

Notes:

a Continuous variables are reported with median (minimum, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, maximum)

b information was not collected for one patient

c P-value given based on Wilcoxon rank sum test.

Abbreviation: VAS, visual analog scale.

Table 4 Nausea and vomiting post surgery

Variablea	Placebo (n=11)	Active (n=10)	P-valuec
Nausea hour 0	2 (20%)b	2 (20%)	1.00
Nausea hour 2	3 (27%)	2 (20%)	1.00
Nausea hour 6	5 (45%)	4 (40%)	1.00
Nausea hour 12	3 (27%)	2 (20%)	1.00
Nausea hour 24	3 (30%)b	1 (10%)	0.58
Any nausea within 24 hours after surgery	10 (91%)	5 (50%)	0.064
Vomiting hour 0	0 (0%)b	0 (0%)	NA
Vomiting hour 2	0 (0%)b	0 (0%)	NA
Vomiting hour 6	1 (10%)b	1 (10%)	1.00
Vomiting hour 12	1 (10%)b	1 (10%)	1.00
Vomiting hour 24	0 (0%)b	0 (0%)	NA
Any vomiting within 24 hours after surgery	2 (20%)b	2 (20%)	1.00
Requested antiemetic after surgery	11 (100%)	5 (50%)	0.012

Notes:

a Categorical variables are reported as n (%), continuous variables are reported with median (minimum, 25th percentile, 75th percentile, maximum)

b information was not collected for one patient

c P-value given based on Fisher’s exact test unless otherwise specified.

Table 5 Sedation post surgery

Variablea	Placebo (n=11)	Active (n=10)	P-valueb
Sedation hour 0			0.009
Awake and alert	0 (0%)	1 (10%)
Awakens easily	3 (27%)	7 (70%)
Asleep	8 (73%)	1 (10%)
Deep sleep	0 (0%)	1 (10%)
Sedation hour 2			0.67
Awake and alert	0 (0%)	1 (10%)
Awakens easily	9 (82%)	7 (70%)
Asleep	2 (18%)	1 (10%)
Deep sleep	0 (0%)	1 (10%)
Sedation hour 6			1.00
Awake and alert	4 (36%)	4 (40%)
Awakens easily	7 (64%)	6 (60%)
Asleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Deep sleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Sedation hour 12			0.67
Awake and alert	5 (45%)	6 (60%)
Awakens easily	6 (55%)	4 (40%)
Asleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Deep sleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Sedation hour 24			0.58
Awake and alert	10 (91%)	8 (80%)
Awakens easily	1 (9%)	2 (20%)
Asleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
Deep sleep	0 (0%)	0 (0%)

Notes:

a Categorical variables are reported as n (%)

b P-value given based on Fisher’s exact test.