Patients (Age>18 years) undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy are randomly allocated to receive bilateral US-guided M-TAPA (n=30) or bilateral subcostal TAPB (n=30) using 0.375% ropivacaine 15ml (total 30ml) before surgical incision. The blinded investigator evaluates each patient's parameters (Numeric rating scale, nausea, vomiting, pruritis, and patient satisfaction) at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12hours postoperatively, and immediately before discharge. The primary outcome is pain severity evaluated by a NRS at 12hours postoperatively.
This randomized controlled study is designed to evaluate the postoperative analgesic effect of the ultrasound-guided modified thoracoabdominal nerves block through perichondrial approach (M-TAPA) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The investigators hypothesized that the US-guided M-TAPA would be more effective in postoperative pain control than the US-guided subcostal transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB).