LKnative - TAP Block

1 – Transversus abdominis plane block

The anterior rami of spinal nerves Th6 to L1 innervate the antero-lateral abdominal wall. They include the intercostal (Th6-Th11), the subcostal (Th12), and the iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerves (L1)

These nerves give rise to lateral cutaneous branches in the neurovascular plane called the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) between the internal oblique and the transversus abdominis muscles

Th6-Th12 pierce the rectus sheath and end as anterior cutaneous nerves. They provide sensory innervation to the skin, costal parts of diaphragm, related parietal pleura and the parietal peritoneum

Th6-7 give sensory innervation at the epigastrium, Th10 at the umbilicus, and L1 at the groin

Th6-L1 contribute motor innervation to overlying oblique muscles, the transversus abdominus muscle, the pyramidalis and the rectus abdominis muscle

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The anterior spinal rami (yellow): anterior, lateral and dorsal cutaneous branches (red, cyan and green arrows), dorsal branches (blue arrows), external (green) and internal (blue) abdominal muscles, transverse abdominal muscle (brown), rectus abdominis (red), intrinsic back muscles (purple), rectus sheath (cyan)