A 19-year-old female (50 kg; 160 cm) was admitted in the palliative care unit of our department with complaints of severe burning and stretching pain in the right flank region. Her pain scores were 10/10 on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), where 0 means no pain and 10 means worst possible pain. The patient was a postoperative case of desmoid tumor for which resection was done 2 years back []. Skin on the right side flank region develops pain, thickness, and tenderness from the past 6 months. The patient received medical treatment (morphine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [ibuprofen and paracetamol], and gabapentin), but the pain did not improve. Hence, we decided to perform lumbar ESP block.\nUnder all aseptic precautions, a linear ultrasound probe was placed longitudinally at the level of transverse process of L2. The skin was infiltrated with 2 ml of 1% lignocaine. The 10-cm Stimuplex needle (Stimuplex® A, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Germany) was inserted by the in-plane approach to touch the surface of transverse process of L2 []. A total of 20 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine and 40 mg triamcinolone was injected into the target plane between the erector spinae muscles and the transverse process. The patient had adequate pain relief (3/10 on NRS) 10 min after the block and had extensive sensory blockade from dermatome T10 to L5. NRS was noted for 24 h after the procedure []. The patient was discharged with oral medicines tapered. The patient was still pain-free without consumption of any oral analgesics at follow-up after 8 weeks.
A 71-year-old male patient (174 cm, 56 kg) with a 15-mm large mass in the upper pole of the left kidney was scheduled for the RAPN peritoneal approach. Rapid induction was achieved using fentanyl, propofol, and rocuronium, which were added after establishing peripheral intravenous access. Anesthesia was maintained using desflurane and remifentanil. After tracheal intubation, and assuming the right decubitus position, the anterior QLB and ESPB were performed (Fig. ). A convex probe (2–5 Hz) was placed on the L2 vertebral body, and we attempted to obtain the shamrock view, which overlooks the quadratus lumborum muscle (QLM), erector spinae muscle (ESM), psoas major muscle (PMM), and vertebral body. A 100-mm block needle (20-G Tuohy needle) was inserted using the in-plane technique; moreover, 30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine was applied between the QLM and PMM as the anterior QLB. Subsequently, the ESPB was performed at the transverse process of Th10. From this point, the needle was inserted in the caudal-to-cephalad direction. After confirming that the needle reached the ESM, we injected 30 mL of 0.25% ropivacaine. The operation was performed via the peritoneal approach with six port holes. The operative and anesthetic times were 209 and 294 min, respectively.\nThe patient intraoperatively received intravenous fentanyl 300 μg and acetaminophen 1000 mg. Postoperative pain was managed in the ward using continuous intravenous infusion of 15 μg/h fentanyl combined with 15 mcg fentanyl for intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) with a 10-min lockout.\nA pinprick test was performed 2 h post-surgery using the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament 2.0 g (SAKAI Medical Co., Tokyo, Japan) as part of the postoperative procedures by someone who did not perform the blocks. The pinprick test revealed that the anesthetized dermatomal range was Th7–Th12. However, tactile sensation was normal around the port site in the midline of the umbilicus. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was 0-0-0-0/10 at rest and 1-1-1-5/10 on movement at 2, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery, respectively. IV-PCA was stopped at 20 h after surgery due to postoperative nausea and low NRS value. The total fentanyl amount postoperatively used was 450 μg. Acetaminophen was administered once at postoperative day (POD) 1. He was discharged without any adverse events at POD 6.