According to a retrospective chart review published in the Journal of Obesity Surgery, preoperative TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine provides significant outcomes in reducing the opioid consumption among people suffering from the post-operative pain after inpatient and outpatient surgeries.

A total of 191 participants who went through a laparoscopic bariatric procedure from 13 September 2017 to 26 February 2018 were selected for the analysis. 97 out of 191 obtained TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine and others did not obtain TAP block. Both groups showed comparable baseline patient characteristics. The mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) of TAP and non-TAP groups noticed was 45.6 and 46.1 kg/m², respectively. The mean age of the patients of TAP and non-TAP groups measured was 43.7 and 41.1 years, respectively. As compared to the 93 patients of the non-TAP group, 65 patients of TAP group received intravenous (IV) morphine or hydromorphone. The number of patients taken oral opioid analgesics of TAP and non-TAP groups noticed was 44 and 73, respectively. The odds of taking IV morphine or hydromorphone and oral opioid analgesic for TAP group was around 0.10 times and 0.29 times the corresponding odds for the non-TAP group, respectively.

The preoperative TAP block with liposomal bupivacaine significantly reduces the IV opioid intake. However, a larger prospective study is required to validate the results further.