Background: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a promising effective method for postoperative pain control after major abdominal surgery. Using a landmark technique, it is easily performed, but its popularity has decreased because of less efficacy due to inaccurate injection and the potential for intraperitoneal organ damage. Ultrasound-guided TAP block provides better results and less complications, but it requires experienced operators. Surgically administered TAP (sTAP) block is a simple technique and may cause less complications. This study was aimed to determine the efficacy of sTAP on postoperative pain control in pediatric patients following a major abdominal surgery, compared with local anesthetic infiltration and no block.

Methods: This stratified, randomized controlled trial was conducted in pediatric patients, below the age of 15 years, who underwent non-laparoscopic major abdominal surgery. Patients were allocated into three groups. The control group received no block; the LA group received 0.25% bupivacaine for local wound infiltration; and the sTAP group received 0.25% bupivacaine for TAP block performed by a surgeon before abdominal wall closure. Parameter records included the incidence of inadequate pain control, time to first analgesic, opioid requirement within 24 h, and complications of these techniques.

Results: Fifty-four patients were recruited. There was no significant difference in the incidence of inadequate pain control (P = 0.589). The median time to first analgesic was 380 min in the sTAP group compared with 370 and 420 min in the LA and control groups, respectively (95%CI = 193–567, 121–619, and 0–1012; P = 0.632). The median dose of total opioid requirement (calculated as fentanyl-equivalent dose) was 1.95, 2.05, and 2.04 μg·kg⁻¹·24 h⁻¹ in the sTAP, LA, and control groups, respectively (IQR = 0.65, 2.20; 0.59, 3.32; 0.38, 2.60;P = 0.723). No complications of sTAP block were detected.

Conclusions: There was no significant advantage of the sTAP block over local infiltration or no intervention for postoperative pain control in pediatric patients undergoing non-laparoscopic major abdominal surgeries.