Achieving opioid-free anaesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the external oblique intercostal block—a case series of three cases

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with significant postoperative pain. The external oblique intercostal (EOI) block is a recently described superficial block that can be performed in the supine position and provides effective pain relief for upper abdominal surgeries. This case series aim to describe the use of the EOI block in providing analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We reported three female patients, aged 62 to 71 years, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia with an EOI block. None of the patients required opioids for intraoperative analgesia beyond induction. Postoperatively, all three patients reported only mild-to-moderate pain localized to the umbilical port site. Postoperative opioid consumption was minimal. No adverse effects or block-related complications were observed. The EOI block demonstrated promising efficacy in providing analgesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Further studies are warranted to determine the effectiveness of the EOI block for a wider range of laparoscopic upper abdominal surgeries.