Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Sacral Erector Spinae Plane Block with Caudal Epidural Block using Ultrasound in Children Undergoing Lower Abdominal and Lower Limb Surgery under General Anaesthesia; An Exploratory Randomized Control Trial

The Lower limb and lower abdominal surgeries are done usually under GA in

pediatric age group. Caudal analgesia is often supplemented for these

surgeries for perioperative pain control. Caudal analgesia though provides

excellent pain relief, has limitations of urinary retention, limited duration of

analgesia.

Erector spinae plane block is recently described for various surgeries (eg:

cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral erector spinae plane block) according to

desired dermatomes level required.

Sacral erector spinae plane block is recently described regional anesthesia

technique where local anaesthetic (LA) agent is deposited above the sacral

bone and below the erector spinae muscle.

We hypothesize that, sacral erector spinae plane block provides equivalent

analgesia as compared to caudal epidural block with a longer duration of

analgesia than caudal block as the drug reaches caudal epidural space slowly

through posterior sacral foramina.

Present study is planned to know the duration of analgesia provided by sacral

erector spinae plane block in comparison with caudal epidural analgesia in

children undergoing lower limb and lower abdominal surgeries under GA.