Correction: adherent transversus abdominis plane catheter.

摘要

I would like to draw your readers' attention to an error contained in the contents of a recently published letter. The error is contained in the sentence reading: "Niraj et al compared bilateral subcostal TAP catheter LA infusion and thoracic epidural, demonstrating equivalent VAS scores on coughing following upper abdominal surgery and no difference in opioid administration." The error is italicised. This referenced paper of Niraj et al2 did not contain in its results, any record of opioid dosing. The authors did instead report on tramadol dose, and in this there was a significantly greater administration to the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) catheter treated patients - suggesting that analgesia with TAP catheters and thoracic epidurals were not equivalent, contrary to what Tan and Trinca asserted. This is an important difference in outcome that should have been acknowledged.