RESUMEN
Despite the life-saving nature of colorectal surgeries, patients often experience intra and post-operative problems, especially pain and discomfort. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of erector spinae plane block (ESP block) in postoperative pain management for patients undergoing colorectal surgeries. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane Library databases from inception until December 2023. Eight studies were deemed appropriate for inclusion. The pooled analysis demonstrated a significant decrease with the ESP block compared to the control group in postoperative opioid consumption [MD â= â-15.96 âmg; 95 â% CI (-28.74 to -3.18); p â= â0.014, I2 â= â87 â%], intraoperative opioid consumption [MD â= â-35.51 âmg; 95 â% CI (-62.63 to -8.40); p â= â0.010, I2 â= â87 â%], pain scores [MD â= â-0.94; 95 â% CI (-1.27 to -0.60); p â< â0.000001, I2 â= â86 â%], with a significantly shorter duration of hospital stay [MD â= â-1.25 days; 95 â% CI (-2.02 to -0.48); p â= â0.002, I2 â= â23 â%]. This meta-analysis support the use of erector spinae plane block (ESP) for postoperative pain management in colorectal surgeries. ESP shows significant reductions in opioid consumption, pain scores and hospital stay.