Summary:
In patients undergoing laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy, erector spinae plane (ESP) block combined with routine analgesia significantly reduced total tramadol consumption compared to routine postoperative analgesic treatment alone, though it was associated with no significant difference in pain scores within the first 24 hours postoperatively.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult donors (n=60) scheduled for elective laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy at a transplant center. |
| Intervention | Bilateral erector spinae plane block under ultrasonographic guidance, in addition to standard postoperative analgesia. |
| Comparison | Standard postoperative analgesic protocol without nerve block (control group). |
| Outcome | No significant differences in verbal numerical or Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale scores between groups in the first 24 hours. However, the ESP block group had significantly lower total tramadol consumption (P = .003). Regression analysis confirmed block use was independently associated with reduced opioid use (P = .001). |
Source: Bora Dinc, et al. “Erector Spinae Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Living-Donor Nephrectomy.” Read article here.
