Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Bariatric Surgery, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Pathway

Background: In laparoscopic bariatric surgery the enhanced recovery after surgery pathway is proven beneficial for the rapid postoperative recovery of patients. Thoracic epidural analgesia is considered the gold standard for this type of surgery, but the placement of a thoracic epidural catheter can be difficult sometimes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of erector spinae plane (ESP) block compared with transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in the management of postoperative pain for laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Materials and Methods: Fifty-one patients were divided into two groups and received TAP block or ESP block and the primary outcome for this study was the assessment of postoperative pain intensity expressed as numeric rating scale (NRS) at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. Results: There was no statistical difference between ESP group and TAP group for NRS at the first hour (p = 0.101), whereas postoperative pain scores were lower in the ESP group compared with TAP group from 6 and 12 h after surgery (p = 0.032 and p = 0.010) respectively. Conclusion: The study showed a statistically significant superiority in postoperative pain control of ESP block from the 6th to the 12th-hour postoperative.