Publications by authors named "John G McDonnell"

Article Synopsis
  • * These blocks are generally easy to perform and safe, leading to reduced pain and lower opioid use in various healthcare situations.
  • * However, evidence on their effectiveness is mixed due to variations in study designs, and outcomes can vary based on how well the anesthetic spreads and the individual anatomy of nerves. The review also discusses the anatomy, ultrasound techniques, and overall efficacy and safety of these block methods.
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Purpose Of Review: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a relatively new regional anaesthesia technique that has shown analgesic benefit in abdominal and pelvic surgery. There has been recent interest in expanding this regional technique to enhance analgesia following caesarean delivery.

Recent Findings: We will discuss the gross anatomy and neuroanatomy relevant to the TAP, contrast studies looking at the spread of solution within the TAP and the clinical analgesia achieved with the TAP block.

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Purpose Of Review: Since the publication of original work on the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block, the translation of the research into clinical practice has resulted in some 146 articles being published in peer-reviewed journals. However, there continues to be controversies over the best approach to be used. The introduction of ultrasound should have aided the development of this block, but in fact it has caused more questions to be asked.

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Background: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block provides effective postoperative analgesia in adults undergoing major abdominal surgery. Its efficacy in children remains unclear, with no randomized clinical trials in this population. In this study, we evaluated its analgesic efficacy over the first 48 postoperative hours after appendectomy performed through an open abdominal incision, in a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

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Background: Patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy suffer significant postoperative pain. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a recently described approach to providing analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall. We evaluated the analgesic efficacy of the TAP block in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy via a transverse lower abdominal wall incision, in a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

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Background: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is an effective method of providing postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing midline abdominal wall incisions. We evaluated its analgesic efficacy over the first 48 postoperative hours after cesarean delivery performed through a Pfannensteil incision, in a randomized controlled, double-blind, clinical trial.

Methods: Fifty women undergoing elective cesarean delivery were randomized to undergo TAP block with ropivacaine (n = 25) versus placebo (n = 25), in addition to standard postoperative analgesia comprising patient-controlled IV morphine analgesia and regular diclofenac and acetaminophen.

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Background And Objectives: The abdominal wall is a significant source of pain after abdominal surgery. Anterior abdominal wall analgesia may assist in improving postoperative analgesia. We have recently described a novel approach to block the abdominal wall neural afferents via the bilateral lumbar triangles of Petit, which we have termed a transversus abdominis plane block.

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Background: The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a novel approach for blocking the abdominal wall neural afferents via the bilateral lumbar triangles of Petit. We evaluated its analgesic efficacy in patients during the first 24 postoperative hours after abdominal surgery, in a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Methods: Thirty-two adults undergoing large bowel resection via a midline abdominal incision were randomized to receive standard care, including patient-controlled morphine analgesia and regular nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and acetaminophen (n = 16), or to undergo TAP block (n = 16) in addition to standard care (n = 16).

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