The Effect of Sacral Erector Spinae Plane Block on Post-Hemorrhoidectomy Pain

Hemorrhoids are commonly observed surgical conditions affecting the anorectal area, characterized by symptoms such as pain, bleeding, and the presence of a protruding mass from the anal opening. Fear of postoperative pain is one of the most important factors for patients to avoid surgical interventions. Postoperative pain is a significant concern, with over 80% of patients encountering moderate to severe pain. This heightened pain level contributes to an elevated risk of complications including atelectasis, thromboembolism, myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrhythmia, electrolyte imbalance, urinary retention, and ileus. The two main unresolved issues following surgery are postoperative pain and urinary retention. In addition to improving patient satisfaction, pain management will decrease urinary retention and constipation, especially in the first 24 hours following surgery. According to earlier research, even with analgesic therapy, 20% to 40% of patients who underwent hemorrhoidectomy would experience severe postoperative pain. Commonly used pain relievers like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol, and opioids often come with adverse effects such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and constipation and can even lead to tolerance. These side effects could prevent a full recovery and result in a poor prognosis. Bilateral pudendal nerve blocks are said to significantly reduce postoperative pain, but they are technically difficult and require specific positioning. Furthermore, the administration of pudendal nerve block carries the risk of potential complications, including hematoma formation, sciatic nerve injury, and accidental rectal puncture. Therefore, an alternative analgesic method with minimal adverse effects would be beneficial.

The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) was initially introduced as an interfascial plane block performed at the upper thoracic levels with the purpose of alleviating neuropathic pain. Subsequently, its application expanded to encompass a range of thoracic interventions, including mastectomy, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS), and cardiac surgery, while also being utilized at lumbar levels for procedures such as abdominal surgery, prostatectomy, lumbar spine surgery, total hip arthroplasty, and proximal femur surgery. A newly introduced method called the sacral Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) has been recently documented in scientific literature. Case studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in various surgical procedures. Specifically, it has shown promise in managing radicular pain at the L5-S1 level after sex reassignment surgery and hypospadias surgery, as well as providing analgesia for the posterior branches of the sacral nerves during pilonidal sinus surgery.

The main hypothesis is that performing ESPB from the sacral level would result in effective analgesia following hemorrhoidectomy. It is also hypothesized that sacral ESPB would reduce the use of additional analgesics after hemorrhoidectomy and increase patient satisfaction. In this prospective, randomized, controlled trial, the main objective is to examine the postoperative analgesic effects of sacral ESPB following hemorrhoidectomy.