Ultrasound-Guided Quadratus Lumborum Block Using Bupivacaine versus Bupivacaine – Dexamethasone as Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract Background The QLB is an effective analgesic technique for various abdominal wall incisions. The QLB covers T7 to L2 dermatomes by the spread of LA drugs either into the paravertebral space or in the thoracolumbar plane, through iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves, A and C fiber nociceptors, mechanoreceptors and high-density network of lumbar sympathetic fibers. Objective To assess the analgesic sparing effect of adding Dexamethasone to Bupivacaine in Quadratus lumborum block in patients undergoing Laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. Patients and Methods Sixty patients scheduled for elective Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries under general anesthesia were included in this study, they were divided into two groups. Group A (perineural dexamethasone and bupivacaine group) [n = 30] Those cases will receive 2ml volume of dexamethasone (8mg) combined with 18 ml of bupivacaine of 0.25% concentration. Group B (perineural bupivacaine group) [n = 30] Those cases will receive perineural 18 ml bupivacaine (0.25%) combined with 2 ml normal saline. Results At the end of this study we found that The addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine in QLB in Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries provides a prolonged duration of postoperative analgesia, with reduced analgesic requirements, a better quality of analgesia in terms of NRS compared to bupivacaine alone group. Conclusion The addition of dexamethasone to Bupivacaine in lateral QLB in Laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery provides a prolonged duration of postoperative analgesia, with reduced analgesic requirements, a better quality of analgesia in terms of NRS compared to bupivacaine alone group.