Role of Dexamethasone in Transversus Abdominis Plane Block After Cesarean Section

The pain and discomfort following cesarean delivery are mostly due to the abdominal wall incision and dissection of muscles; it delays early ambulation and breastfeeding. This can lead to postoperative complications such as thromboembolic disorders. So, providing an effective and safe postoperative analgesic method seems to be mandatory. Opioid analgesia remains the most effective means of relieving pain in a wide variety of conditions; however, it may cause adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, pruritus, urinary retention, and respiratory depression. As the analgesia and the side effects of opioids are dose-dependent, a multimodal approach may enhance analgesia, which in turn would decrease the side effects .

Mc Donnell and colleagues have reported that a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block can decrease the postoperative pain following abdominal surgery. The landmarks of this block were first described in 2001 by Rafi. The TAP block has been performed for postoperative analgesic control in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy, cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia, and laparoscopic surgery.

Inclusion criteria

• healthy parturient (ASA I and II) scheduled to undergo LSCS under spinal anesthesia

Exclusion criteria

• Participants had known sensitivity to bupivacaine
• patient refusal,
• localized infection over injection point
• patients with significant coagulopathies and
• with contraindications to regional anesthesia,
• patients with heart diseases, altered renal or liver functions,
• psychological disorders, patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension and
• gestational diabetes, chronic use of pain medications,