TAP bloc : réalisation, indications

Over the past years, there has been a growing interest for the Transverse Abdominis Plane (TAP) block. The technique of the block consists in performing a local anesthetic injection into the triangle of Petit that is delimited by the iliac crest, the latissimus dorsi and the external oblique muscles. The block can be performed blindly using the loss of resistance technique after passing through the fascia of the external and internal oblique muscles, or using ultrasound guidance. The block usually extends from T7 to L1. Several studies have documented that a bilateral TAP block achieves postoperative pain relief and opioid sparing after abdominal surgery, hysterectomy by laparotomy and C-section. Other surgical procedures are likely to benefit from this analgesic technique.