Analgesic Efficacy of Quadaratus Lumborum Block (QLB) for Laparoscopic Colectomy Surgery: A Prospective Case Control Trial to Evaluate Clinical Outcomes

Pain after abdominal surgery can be extensive. Pain control is an important component of patient comfort and participation in rehabilitation. Multimodal analgesia methods have shown to reduce postoperative pain, and have been addressed to be a crucial part of the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols. Quadratus lumborum block (QLB) is a posterior abdominal wall block which analgesic efficacy has been shown for abdominal surgeries, and also for different laparoscopic procedures, such as ovarian surgery. The aim of this study is to assess QLB's analgesic efficacy for laparoscopic colectomy surgeries, using serial pain score assessments and overall opioid consumption; its effect on patient satisfaction; and its effect on the development of postoperative respiratory complications. This study is a prospective clinical trial assessing the effect of application of QLB as a regional analgesic technique for primary laparoscopic colectomy, in comparison to a historical retrospective cohort.