Comparative Assessment of 3 Ultrasound Guided Plane Blocks for Perioperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Radical cystectomy is the gold standard treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer as well as some T1 and non-invasive disease. It is a major operation with significant perioperative morbidity and complications. Pain is one of the most important complications to be managed.

Regional blocks as a part of multi-modal analgesia are considered main strategies of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) decreasing post-operative complications including post-operative pain and post-operative hospital stay. They also have an upper hand over systemic intravenous opioids decreasing the risk for post-operative delirium specially in old age patients. Thoracic paravertebral plane block (TPVPB), intra muscular quadratus lumborum plane block (QLPB) and erector spinae plane block (ESPB) are among these regional anesthesia techniques for pain management.

Erector spinae plane block is an emerging block, with low risk and more feasibility, but efficacy hasn't been compared to quadratus lumborum and paravertebral plane blocks altogether in radical cystectomy surgeries.

All these blocks are effective in reducing postoperative pain and the need of analgesia in radical cystectomy surgery; this is a comparative study between the three blocks in this population.