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Background and Aims Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB) is employed as a component of multimodal analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) procedures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of adding adjuvants to the QLB block used for postoperative analgesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomies on postoperative NRS scores and opioid consumption.

Methods This study was designed as a randomized prospective double-blind trial. Eighty-three patients were divided into two groups to receive either adjuvant QLB (Group A-QLB) or non-adjuvant QLB (Group QLB). Preoperative bilateral QLB-III was applied to all patients. In Group A-QLB, 4 mg of dexamethasone was added bilaterally to the local anesthetic solution. Patients‘ resting NRS (rNRS) and dynamic NRS (dNRS) scores and opioid consumption were recorded at 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively.

Results Analgesic consumption in the first 24 hours postoperatively was significantly lower in Group A-QLB compared to Group QLB (table 1). The rNRS and dNRS values at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively were also significantly lower in Group A-QLB (table 2). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the time to the first rescue analgesia and intraoperative remifentanil consumption.

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Conclusions Since the addition of an adjuvant to the QLB block was associated with lower NRS scores and reduced opioid analgesic consumption in the first 24 hours postoperatively, we believe that the use of adjuvants provides more effective postoperative analgesia.