ESP Block Vs. QIPB for Lumbar Stabilization Surgery

Materials and Methods:

This prospective, randomized clinical trial will include patients aged 18-80 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III who are scheduled to undergo elective primary lumbar stabilization surgery under general anesthesia. Before enrollment, all patients will be informed about the study protocol and written informed consent will be obtained. Patients will be instructed on the use of the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for postoperative pain assessment, where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents the worst pain imaginable.

Patients with contraindications to regional anesthesia, allergy to local anesthetics, coagulopathy, infection at the injection site, chronic opioid use, pre-existing neurological deficits involving the lower extremities, cognitive impairment preventing reliable communication, revision lumbar surgery, and refusal to participate will be excluded from the study.

Patients will be randomly allocated to one of two study groups using a computer-generated randomization sequence (https://www.randomizer.org). Randomization will be performed by a team member not involved in patient management or outcome assessment. Allocation concealment will be achieved using sequentially numbered sealed opaque envelopes, which will be opened immediately before block performance.

Upon arrival in the operating room, standard monitoring including electrocardiography, non-invasive blood pressure measurement, and pulse oximetry will be applied. Following intravenous access, general anesthesia will be induced using a standardized protocol consisting of propofol, fentanyl, and rocuronium to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Anesthesia will be maintained with sevoflurane or desflurane in an oxygen/air mixture, titrated to maintain hemodynamic stability within 20% of baseline values.

Following the induction of general anesthesia and prior to surgical incision, patients will receive either ultrasound-guided quadro-iliac plane block (QIPB) or ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) according to group allocation. All blocks will be performed by anesthesiologists experienced in regional anesthesia and familiar with both techniques.

All patients will receive the same multimodal postoperative analgesic regimen and standardized postoperative rehabilitation protocol. Postoperative pain scores at rest and during movement will be assessed using the NRS during the first 48 postoperative hours. Opioid consumption, incidence of quadriceps motor block, time to first ambulation, patient satisfaction, postoperative nausea and vomiting, falls, length of hospital stay, block performance time, and block-related complications will also be recorded.

Outcome assessments will be performed by investigators who are unaware of group allocation.