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Research Article: Is transversus abdominis plane block universally effective after cesarean delivery? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Date Published: 2026-07-31

Abstract:
The TAP block has gained wide acceptance in post-cesarean multimodal analgesia, yet its efficacy varies considerably depending on clinical context. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify its effect on postoperative opioid consumption and to determine which clinical variables drive that variability. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception through March 2024. Eligible studies enrolled adult patients undergoing cesarean delivery and compared TAP block with placebo, no block, or an active comparator. The primary outcome was 24?h opioid consumption. Continuous outcomes were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMD) with Hedges' g correction using random-effects modelling, with pre-specified subgroup analyses by anesthetic technique and intrathecal morphine (ITM) use. Eighteen studies ( N =?1,824 patients) were included; only four provided sufficiently homogeneous numerical data for quantitative pooling ( N =?193). Given extreme heterogeneity (I 2 =?97%), the overall pooled estimate (SMD?=??2.30, 95%?CI ?4.24 to ?0.36; p =?0.02) should be interpreted with caution and does not constitute a reliable summary of TAP block efficacy. The primary findings derive from structured contextual synthesis: consistent opioid-sparing was observed across all four studies conducted under general anesthesia; no clinically meaningful benefit was demonstrated when intrathecal morphine was co-administered (SMD?=?0.12, 95%?CI ?0.34 to 0.58; p =?0.61); and most studies under spinal anesthesia without intrathecal morphine reported significant opioid-sparing, with magnitude varying by background analgesic regimen. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides a structured contextual framework for understanding when TAP block is and is not likely to provide meaningful analgesia after cesarean delivery. Derived from 18 heterogeneous studies with limited quantitative depth, available evidence suggests that benefit is most consistent under general anesthesia, meaningful under spinal anesthesia without intrathecal morphine, and negligible when intrathecal morphine is co-administered. These are context-dependent, hypothesis-generating observations that should not be read as definitive clinical prescriptions. Confirmation in adequately powered prospective trials stratified by intrathecal morphine use, anesthetic technique, and standardized multimodal analgesic protocols is required before this framework can serve as the basis for formal clinical guidance.

Introduction:
The TAP block has gained wide acceptance in post-cesarean multimodal analgesia, yet its efficacy varies considerably depending on clinical context. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify its effect on postoperative opioid consumption and to determine which clinical variables drive that variability.

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