Transversus abdominis plane block with liposomal bupivacaine and its effect on opiate use after weight loss surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB), as an extended-release local anesthetic, may provide lasting pain control and therefore decrease the need for narcotics in the immediate postoperative period.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block with LB decreased the use of postoperative narcotics compared with regular bupivacaine (RB) and no TAP block in patients undergoing weight loss procedures.

Setting: A large, metropolitan, university-affiliated, tertiary hospital.

Site localization and characterization of pain during radiofrequency ablation of the pulmonary veins.

Background: Characteristics of radiofrequency (RF) lesions producing pain with an 8-mm catheter during pulmonary vein (PV) ablation have not been prospectively studied.

Methods: We studied 46 (30 men, age 56 +/- 10 years) patients with AF who underwent RF ablation of PVs. PV isolation was achieved by using an 8F, 8-mm Biosense ablation catheter (Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA) guided by intracardiac echocardiography (ICE).