THORACOLUMBAR INTERFASCIAL PLANE BLOCK FOR POSTOPERATIVE PAIN CONTROL IN LUMBAR SPINE SURGERIES - A CASE SERIES

Introduction: The lumbar Spine fusion surgery have serious acute pain postoperatively . This study aims at postoperative pain releif and to infer the intraoperative hemodynamic changes along with the ease of operation by the surgeon and the ease of performing the block by the anaesthetist. The procedure was carried out at our hospital in 10 patients requiring TLIF procedure . Written informed consent were obtained . All these patients were administered with TLIP block with general anaesthesia . A high frequency linear probe at L3 vertebral level , Patients were positioned prone and administered with 20ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and the drug was injected in the interfascial plane between the fascia of the longissmuss and multifidus muscle on both the sides .All the patients were monitored postoperatively using the NRS pain score at different intervals for 24 hours.

Discussion:8 out of 10 patients had pain relief for a period of 12 hours postoperatively without any opiod requirement .Intraoperative hemodynamics were well maintained in all the cases. Total requirement of opiods were reduced in both intraoperative and postoperative period .The ease performance was difficult for the two cases and surgeon also felt difficulty during instrumentation which required rescue analgesic postoperatively within less than 8 hours .No complications were reported in any of the operated cases.

Conclusion:TLIP block can be used as a good adjuvant to general anaesthesia for patients under spinal surgery.