The impact of regional anesthesia techniques on pain control and opioid consumption in sleeve gastrectomy

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of erector spinae block (ESP) and transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks in reducing postoperative opioid requirements and enhancing pain control in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) patients. Methods This retrospektif study included 90 patients undergoing LSG. The patients were equally allocated into three groups—ESP block, TAP block, and control (no regional anesthesia applied)—with 30 patients in each group. During the allocation process, patients were matched for age and gender. Pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Opioid consumption, side effect, patient and surgeon satisfaction were recorded. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare pain scores, opioid use, and satisfaction levels among the groups. Results ESP group demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores compared to the control group. The ESP block group reported the lowest VAS scores, indicating superior pain control. Opioid consumption was significantly reduced in both ESP and TAP block groups compared to the control group, with the ESP group showing the greatest reduction. There was a significant relationship between amount of opioid used and side effects. Patient satisfaction was highest in the ESP block group, followed by the TAP block group, and lowest in the control group. Conclusions The ESP and TAP blocks are effective in reducing postoperative opioid consumption and providing better pain control in LSG patients. The ESP block, in particular, offers superior analgesia and higher patient satisfaction compared to the TAP block and no block.