Evidence Hub

Erector spinae plane block versus quadratus lumborum block for postoperative analgesia after laparoscopic nephrectomy: A randomized controlled trial

Zhen Zhang, H. Kong, Yan Li, Zhenliang Xu, Xue Li, Jia-Hui Ma, Dong-Xin Wang

Journal of clinical anesthesia, 2024

110 participants · 25 citations

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE

We compared the analgesic effects of erector spinae plane block versus quadratus lumborum block following laparoscopic nephrectomy.

DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

A tertiary hospital in Beijing, China.

PATIENTS

Patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic nephrectomy.

INTERVENTIONS

A total of 110 patients were enrolled and randomized to receive either erector spinae plane block (n = 55) or quadratus lumborum block (n = 55) under ultrasound guidance. Patient-controlled sufentanil analgesia was provided after surgery.

MEASUREMENTS

Our primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption within 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain intensity, subjective sleep quality, and quality of recovery.

MAIN RESULTS

All 110 patients (mean 53 years, 57.3% female) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Cumulative sufentanil equivalent within 24 h was lower in patients given erector spinae plane block (median 13 μg, interquartile range 4 to 33) than in those given quadratus lumborum block (median 25 μg, interquartile range 13 to 39; median difference - 8 μg, 95% CI -15 to 0, P = 0.041). Pain intensity (0-10 range where 0 = no pain and 10 = the worst pain) at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after surgery was lower with erector spinae plane block (at rest: median differences -1 point, all P ≤ 0.009; with movement: median differences -2 to -1 points, all P < 0.001). Subjective sleep quality on the night of surgery (the Richards-Campbell…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 110 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free