Assessment of Efficacy of Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Pain Management in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Under General Anaesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

A BSTRACT Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LCY), although a routine minimal invasive surgery, still leads to considerable pain post-operatively, especially in first 24 hours. Regional anaesthesia like erector spinae plane (ESP) and subcostal TAP (STAP) blocks are used to reduce this pain, but limited data exists comparing them directly in LCY patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I/II patients (aged 18–75) undergoing LCY under general anaesthesia were randomly divided into ESP and STAP groups ( n = 50 each). Blocks were given pre-op under ultrasound guidance. Pain was recorded using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for 24 hrs. Rescue analgesia was given if VAS >3. Results: ESP group had significantly longer analgesia (671.39 ± 41.77 min) compared to STAP (535.50 ± 230.28 min), with P < 0.001. No adverse effects seen in either group. Conclusion: The ESP block showed more effective and longer pain relief than STAP block in LCY patients. Hence, ESP may be preferred for better post-op pain control in similar settings.