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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Dec 19;22(1):394.
doi: 10.1186/s12871-022-01943-8.

The efficacy of ultrasound-guided anterior quadratus lumborum block for pain management following lumbar spinal surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Selcuk Alver  1 , Ciftci Bahadir  2 , Ali Can Tahta  3 , Ahmet Cetinkal  3 , Birzat Emre Gölboyu  4 , Cem Erdogan  1 , Mursel Ekinci  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The efficacy of ultrasound-guided anterior quadratus lumborum block for pain management following lumbar spinal surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Selcuk Alver et al. BMC Anesthesiol. .

Abstract

Background: Quadratus lumborum block (QLB) is a fascial plane block. There is no randomized study on the efficacy of QLB for lumbar surgery. We evaluated the efficacy of QLB for postoperative pain management and patient satisfaction after lumbar disc herniation surgery (LDHS).

Methods: Sixty patients with ASA score I-II planned for LDHS under general anesthesia were included. We allocated the patients into two groups: the QLB group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). QLB was performed with 30 ml 0.25% bupivacaine in the QLB group. Paracetamol 1 g IV 3 × 1 was ordered to the patients at the postoperative period. If the NRS score was ≥ 4, 1 mg/ kg tramadol IV was administered as rescue analgesia.

Results: There was a reduction in the median static NRS at 0 h and 2 h with QLB compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the resting NRS at any other time point up to 24 h. The median dynamic NRS was significantly lower at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 h in the QLB group (p < 0.05). The need for rescue analgesia was significantly lower in the QLB group. The incidence of nausea was significantly higher in the control group. The postoperative patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the QLB group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: We found that the QLB is effective for pain control following LDHS.

Keywords: Lumbar disc herniation surgery; Postoperative pain; Quadratus lumborum block; Regional anesthesia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSORT flow diagram of the study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sonographic visualization of anterior QLB. Quadratus lumborum muscle, psoas muscle, and transverse process are seen. The arrows indicate the needle direction. QL quadratus lumborum, TP transverse process
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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