LANDMARK GUIDED ERECTOR SPINAE PLANE BLOCK (ESPB) USING ROPIVACAINE IN LIMB SURGERIES ABOVE KNEE

The article consists of the results and observations of the scientific study done at a tertiary care centre which aims to assess postoperative analgesia after landmark guided ESPB using 0.375% isobaric ropivacaine. Seventy patients with lower limb fractures above knee were consecutively divided into two groups: 35 patients underwent only SAB and 35 patients underwent both SAB and ESPB. Intraoperative BP, heart rate, postoperative VAS score, regression of sensory and motor blocks were assessed for 24Hrs. Postoperative VAS scores in 24hrs were found to be significantly less in the ESPB group as compared to the control group. The patients who underwent ESPB had postoperative analgesia of 1023.42 ± 134.26 minutes whereas the control group who underwent only SAB had 183.85 ± 35.70 minutes, (p-value < 0.001). The study emphasizes the significance of landmark guided erector spinae plane block which provides significant postoperative analgesia and better satisfaction score in patients undergoing lower limb surgeries under spinal anaesthesia and can be used as an alternative to USG, especially in limited resources settings.