Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Major Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery: A Case Series

Regional anesthesia for transplantation surgery - A White Paper Part 2: Abdominal transplantation surgery

Transplantation surgery continues to evolve and improve through advancements in transplant technique and technology. With the increased availability of ultrasound machines as well as the continued development of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols, regional anesthesia has become an essential component of providing analgesia and minimizing opioid use perioperatively. Many centers currently utilize peripheral and neuraxial blocks during transplantation surgery, but these techniques are far from standardized practices. The utilization of these procedures is often dependent on transplantation centers' historical methods and perioperative cultures. To date, no formal guidelines or recommendations exist which address the use of regional anesthesia in transplantation surgery. In response, the Society for the Advancement of Transplant Anesthesia (SATA) identified experts in both transplantation surgery and regional anesthesia to review available literature concerning these topics. The goal of this task force was to provide an overview of these publications to help guide transplantation anesthesiologists in utilizing regional anesthesia. The literature search encompassed most transplantation surgeries currently performed and the multitude of associated regional anesthetic techniques. Outcomes analyzed included analgesic effectiveness of the blocks, reduction in other analgesic modalities-particularly opioid use, improvement in patient hemodynamics, as well as associated complications. The findings summarized in this systemic review support the use of regional anesthesia for postoperative pain control after transplantation surgeries. Part 1 of the manuscript focused on regional anesthesia performed in thoracic transplantation surgeries, and part 2 in abdominal transplantations. Specifically, regional anesthesia in liver, kidney, pancreas, intestinal, and uterus transplants or applicable surgeries are discussed.

Pain Management After Open Liver Resection: Epidural Analgesia Versus Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block

Background: Multimodal analgesia techniques, including regional analgesia, have been shown to provide effective analgesia and minimize opioid consumption after liver resection surgery. While thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) is considered the gold standard, its role in the current era of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has been questioned. Erector spinae plane blocks (ESPBs) have the potential to provide effective postoperative analgesia without the risks associated with epidural analgesia. The primary aim of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided ESPB in comparison with TEA in patients undergoing open liver resection.

Methods: Fifty patients who underwent open liver resection and received TEA (n=25) or ESPB (n=25) as part of an ERAS pathway were retrospectively identified. The primary outcome measure was cumulative postoperative opioid consumption at 24 hours. Secondary outcomes included opioid consumption, pain scores, the incidence of nausea and vomiting requiring antiemetics, lower extremity muscle weakness, and occurrence of hypotension requiring treatment on arrival to the post-anesthesia care unit and at 2, 6, 12, 24 hours, and daily through postoperative day 7. 

Results: Opioid requirements were significantly lower in the TEA group compared to the ESPB group. Postoperative pain scores at rest and with deep inspiration were significantly lower in the TEA group through postoperative day 5. There were no differences in other outcome measures.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that compared with ESPB, TEA provides superior pain relief after open liver resection.

Efficacy of bilateral erector spinae block for post-operative analgesia in liver hydatid surgery

Background

Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a recently described interfacial block, and since 2016, studies have shown that it is a safe technique related to the lower risk of neurovascular and pleural injury comparing to epidural or paravertebral blockade. The application of ESP block in abdominal surgery is relatively limited to case reports and small population studies, which is why we believe every new case of its application should be a valuable contribution.

Case presentation

With this present case, we explored the efficacy of bilateral ESP block as a post-operative analgesia technique for liver hydatid surgery on a 56-year-old patient. Ultrasound-guided bilateral ESP block was applied at T₇ level, while the patient was awake before general anaesthesia induction. The local anaesthetic used was 20 mL ropivacaine (0.375%) and 2 mg dexamethasone on each side. After recovery from anaesthesia, she reported mild pain (visual analogue score of 5 on effort). After 12 hours post-operatively, she received only one dose of paracetamol 1 g considered as rescue analgesic. She did not experience nausea and vomiting episodes. We noted a sensory block extending from T₄ to T₁₀.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, it may be the first adult bilateral single-shot case report for this specific procedure. This technique appears to be safe and effective on post-operative analgesia for this type of surgery; however, prospective studies comparing ESP block to other techniques are needed.

Bilateral continuous erector spinae plane block using a programmed intermittent bolus regimen versus intrathecal morphine for postoperative analgesia in living donor laparoscopic hepatectomy: A randomized controlled trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine if continuous bilateral erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks would improve the postoperative analgesia in the first 48 h after laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, compared to intrathecal morphine (ITM).

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

A single tertiary care center from October 2019 and September 2020.

PATIENTS

A total of 60 donors scheduled to undergo elective laparoscopic right hepatectomy.

INTERVENTIONS

Sixty donors were randomized to receive either bilateral continuous T8 ESP blocks with a programmed intermittent bolus regimen of 10 mL 0.2% ropivacaine every 3 h for 48 h (n = 30) or 400 μg ITM (n = 30), in addition to IV fentanyl PCA and multimodal analgesia.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption over the first 48 h, expressed as IV morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, Quality of Recovery-15 scores, ambulation within 24 h, time to first flatus, and opioid-related adverse drug events over 72 h.

MAIN RESULTS

Fifty-nine donors were analyzed. Cumulative 48-h opioid consumption was similar between the ITM and ESP groups (29.8 ± 18.2 vs. 35.1 ± 21.9 mg, mean difference (ESP-ITM) (95% CI), 5.3 (-11.5 to 22) mg; p > 0.99). Resting pain scores at 48 and 72 h postoperatively were significantly lower in the ESP group (0 [0-2] vs. 3 [1.5-3], and 0 [0-2] vs. 3 [1-3] respectively, both p<0.001) (Goldaracena and Barbas, 2019; Ko et al., 2009; Choi et al., 2007 [1-3]) respectively, both p < 0.001). The ESP group had significantly lower incidences of postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pruritus at all timepoints. There were no differences in recovery outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous ESP blocks did not reduce cumulative 48-h opioid consumption compared to 400 μg ITM after laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, but it was associated with a significantly reduced risk of postoperative nausea, vomiting and pruritus.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER AND REGISTRY URL

Clinical Trial Registry of Korea; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/index.jsp and identifier: KCT0004313; date of registration: October 15, 2019; principal investigator's name: Justin Sangwook Ko.

Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic liver resection: A prospective, randomised controlled, patient and observer-blinded study

BACKGROUND

Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been reported to manage postoperative pain effectively after various types of surgery. However, there has been a lack of study on the effect of ESPB after liver resection.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the analgesic effects of ESPB on pain control after laparoscopic liver resection compared with conventional pain management.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomised controlled study.

SETTING

A single tertiary care centre from February 2019 to February 2020.

PATIENTS

A total of 70 patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic liver resection.

INTERVENTIONS

In the control group (n = 35), no procedure was performed. In the ESPB group (n = 35), ESPB was performed after induction of general anaesthesia. A total of 40 ml of ropivacaine 0.5% was injected at the T9 level bilaterally. After surgery, intravenous fentanyl patient-controlled analgesia was initiated. Fentanyl and hydromorphone were administered as rescue analgesics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the cumulative postoperative opioid consumption at 24 h (morphine equivalent). The secondary outcomes were rescue opioid (fentanyl) dose in the postanaesthesia care unit (PACU) and pain severity at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h, assessed using a numerical rating scale (NRS) score.

RESULTS

The median [IQR] postoperative opioid consumption during 24 hours following surgery was 48.2 [17.1] mg in the control group and 45.5 [35.8] mg in the ESPB group (median difference, 4.2 mg; 95% CI, -4.2 to 13.3 mg; P = 0.259). Conversely, rescue opioid in PACU was 5.3 [5.0] mg in the control group and 3.0 [1.5] mg in the ESPB group (median difference, 2.5 mg; 95% CI, 1.0 to 5.0 mg; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in NRS scores point between the groups at any time.

CONCLUSION

ESPB does not provide analgesic effect within 24 h after laparoscopic liver resection.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trial Registry of Korea (https://cris.nih.go.kr.), identifier: KCT0003549).

Thoracic Paravertebral Block for Renal Colic: A Case Report

Renal colic is a common cause of pain; however, there have been few reports of treating this pain with regional anesthesia. We report on a 49-year-old man presenting with severe left flank pain resulting from a 4-mm stone in the left ureter. The pain was minimally responsive to intravenous opioids. Left-sided paravertebral blocks were performed at T7 and T9 with 10 mL bupivacaine 0.5% with epinephrine 2.5 µg/mL to each paravertebral space. The pain resolved over the following 30 minutes, and the patient was discharged home. No further pain was experienced before and while subsequently passing the stone.