Ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block versus unilateral intrathecal block for the patient undergoing inguinal hernia repair

Purpose Inguinal hernia is a common condition that requires surgery. “Inguinal hernia repair” is a procedure that comes with a considerable risk of long-term postoperative pain as well as significant postoperative pain. The common use of ultrasound in anesthesiology departments has led to the advanced use of new regional block techniques. Patients and methods Fifty patients undergoing open inguinal hernia surgery were randomly assigned to either unilateral intrathecal block or ultrasound-guided anterior quadratus lumborum block (QLB). The primary outcome was the total dose of rescue analgesia between the two techniques. The secondary outcomes were the duration of the sensory block, changes in intraoperative hemodynamics, the first time of rescue analgesia, and the incidence of complications. Results In the current study, the total dose of required analgesia was statistically significantly higher in the intrathecal block group, and the duration of block performance and the onset of sensory block was statistically significantly longer in the QLB ( P <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference regarding the hemodynamic change (heart rate, mean arterial pressure) between the two groups during the duration of follow-up. The duration of the first analgesic recall was statistically significantly longer in the QLB compared to the intrathecal block group ( P <0.001). Conclusion QLB technique improves analgesic control by prolonging first analgesic recall, decreasing postoperative pain score, and reducing postoperative analgesic consumption. Moreover, QLB improves vital signs by increasing mean arterial pressure and decreasing heart rate.