Ultrasound-guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block and Quadratus Lumborum Block as Preventive Analgesia in Total Abdominal Hysterectomy With Pfannenstiel Incision: a Prospective, Randomized Trial

The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee. Written informed consent was obtained from each patient. The study was carried out in accordance with The Code of Ethics of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was conducted between April 2017 - July 2017 with a prospective, randomized, double-blind design on 62 patients who had undergone total abdominal hysterectomy with Pfannenstiel incision. American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) II-III, patients between the ages of 18-75 were included in the study. The participants with bleeding diathesis, those who could not communicate (mental disorder, language problem, etc.), those with allergies to the drugs used, those who did not wish to participate in the study, and those who had an infection in the block area were excluded from the study. The participants were divided into 2 groups with the sealed envelope technique preoperatively Transversus Abdominis Plane Block Procedure Before the surgical procedure, the muscles were screened at the umbilicus plain/mid-axillary line with the ultrasound using a linear probe while the participants in the supine position. The skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, external oblique muscle, internal oblique muscle, transversus abdominis muscle, and peritoneum were visualized. The block needle was advanced in the posterolateral direction with the in-plain approach. 0.3 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine was administered bilaterally into the space between the internal oblique muscle and the transversus abdominis muscle.

Transmuscular Quadratus Lumborum Block Procedure Quadratus lumborum muscle could be recognized with ultrasound via the convex probe was transversally attached above iliac crest at the midaxillary line while the patients were in the lateral decubitus position. The point of injection with a block needle in transmuscular Quadratus Lumborum Block is between the anterior border of Quadratus lumborum muscle and psoas major muscles. A transmuscular Quadratus Lumborum Block was performed bilaterally with 0,3 ml/kg 0.25% bupivacaine solution injection on each side.