Effect of Bilateral Ultrasound-Guided TAP Block on Quality of Recovery in Cesarean Delivery Patients Receiving Intrathecal Morphine

Effective postoperative analgesia is essential for optimizing maternal recovery after cesarean delivery, promoting early mobilization, and supporting breastfeeding initiation. Spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine (ITM) is commonly used due to its long-lasting analgesia; however, it may not provide complete abdominal wall analgesia and can be associated with opioid-related side effects. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is an ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia technique that provides somatic analgesia to the anterior abdominal wall by targeting the anterior rami of the thoracolumbar spinal nerves (T6-L1). When combined with ITM, TAP block may further improve recovery quality, reduce opioid requirements, and facilitate earlier return to daily activities.

In this prospective, assessor-blinded observational cohort study, all eligible patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia at our institution will receive ITM as part of standard practice. Participants will be managed in two groups based on postoperative analgesia:

• TAP Group: Bilateral ultrasound-guided TAP block performed at the end of surgery in addition to ITM.
• Control Group: ITM only, without additional regional block.

Both groups will receive standardized postoperative analgesia via intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV PCA). Data will be collected prospectively, and the outcome assessor responsible for postoperative evaluation will be blinded to group allocation.

Primary Outcome:

• Quality of recovery at 24 hours postoperatively, measured using the Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 (ObsQoR-10) questionnaire.

Secondary Outcomes:

• Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores
• Time to first breastfeeding
• Time to first mobilization
• Time to hospital discharge
• Total opioid consumption within the first 24 hours

By analyzing these parameters, the study aims to clarify whether the addition of TAP block to ITM-based analgesia can enhance recovery quality, improve functional outcomes, reduce pain intensity, and decrease opioid consumption in cesarean delivery patients. Findings from this research could inform best practice guidelines for postoperative pain management in obstetric anesthesia.

Inclusion criteria

• Female patients aged 18-45 years
• Singleton pregnancy
• ASA physical status II-III
• Scheduled elective lower segment cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine (ITM) as standard care
• Able to understand study procedures, provide written informed consent, and reliably use IV PCA
• Able to complete ObsQoR-10-T assessments (with trained assistance if needed)

Exclusion criteria

• Contraindication to spinal anesthesia or TAP block (e.g., infection at injection site, coagulopathy, allergy to local anesthetics)
• Chronic opioid use or opioid/alfa-2 agonist intolerance
• Severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, significant hepatic or renal impairment
• Urgent or emergent cesarean section (Category 1)
• Cognitive impairment or communication difficulty preventing accurate assessment
• Prior major abdominal surgery (other than previous cesarean delivery)
• Body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m²
• Major psychiatric illness (e.g., major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis) that may affect pain perception or quality of recovery