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Abstract
Application for ESRA Abstract Prizes: I apply as an Anesthesiologist (Aged 35 years old or less)
Background and Aims Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a common minimally invasive surgery that reduces risks and complications. To manage postoperative pain in LC, different regional anesthesia techniques have been explored. One such technique is the External Oblique Intercostal Plane Block (EOIPB), which is relatively new and lacks clinical trial evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of EOIPB in managing postoperative pain after LC.
Methods This randomized, controlled trial was conducted from December 2022 to April 2023, with approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and clinical trial registration (NCT05444985). ASA I-III patients aged 35-65 years scheduled for LC were included. All patients received standardized general anesthesia and analgesia. In the experimental group, an ultrasound-guided EOIPB was performed bilaterally using 30mL of 0.25% bupivacaine at the end of the surgery. Tramadol consumption, postoperative pain scores (numeric rating scale – NRS), time to first opioid dose, and the quality of recovery (QoR-15) scores were recorded.
Results Comparing the EOIP group and the control group, descriptive statistics showed no significant differences (p>0.05). However, the EOIP group had significantly higher cumulative tramadol consumption at all time points, except for the first hour (p<0.001). NRS scores were similar throughout all time intervals (p>0.05). The EOIP group demonstrated significantly higher average QoR-15 scores compared to the control group (128.2±10.23 vs 112.83±12.06, respectively, p<0.001) (table 1,2-figure 1).
Patient demographics. Gender and ASA class are expressed as number of patients
Comparison of postoperative analgesia related data. Data is expressed as mean±standard deviation. Data related to NRS and analgesic requirements are expressed as median (percentiles 25–75). p values were italicized and p values that are written in bold represent statistical significance
Demonstration of cumulative tramadol consumptions (mg) by groups over time
Conclusions Bilateral ultrasound-guided EOIPB provides effective analgesia and reduces analgesic requirement in the first 24 hours for patients undergoing LC.
Ethical Committee Approval