Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia in modified radical mastectomy: A randomised control study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Several locoregional techniques have been described for providing postoperative analgesia after breast surgery. The optimal technique should be easy to perform, reproducible and provide good analgesia. This randomised control study was designed to evaluate the postoperative analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (US-guided ESP) block for modified radical mastectomy (MRM) surgery. METHODS: A total of 40 females belonging to American Society of Anesthesiologists(') 1 or 2 posted for MRM were randomly allocated into Group 1 (control group) and group 2 (ESP group). Patients in Group 1 received only general anaesthesia (GA) and were managed for pain postoperatively according to routine protocol, while group 2 (ESP group) patients received unilateral US-guided ESP block preoperatively (20 mL 0.5% bupivacaine to the operating side) followed by GA. The primary objective of study was to record postoperative 24 h cumulative morphine requirement. Differences between the two groups were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-test or a two-tailed Student's t-test. RESULTS: Postoperative morphine consumption was found to be significantly less in patients receiving US-guided ESP block compared to control group (1.95 ± 2.01 mg required in ESP group vs 9.3 ± 2. 36 mg required in control group, P value = 0.01)). All the patients in control group required supplemental morphine postoperatively compared to only two patients requiring that in US-guided ESP block group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: US-guided ESP block when given prior to MRM surgery provided effective postoperative analgesia. CTRI registration no. - CTRI/2018/03/012712 registered in the clinical trial registry, India.