Comparison of Pain Relief Efficacy of Epidural Analgesia and Erector Spinae Plane Block Before Thoracotomy Surgery

Thoracic Epidural Application: The epidural area will be accessed from the 7th (T7)-8th (T8) level of the thoracic vertebral midline with an 18 gauge (G) epidural needle using the hanging drip technique. After 2 ml of 2% lidocaine is administered and no spinal effect is observed, a mixture of morphine and local anaesthetic 3-4 mg morphine hydrochloride + 5 ml 0.5% bupivacaine + 2 ml 0.9% saline will be administered through the epidural needle at once and the epidural needle will be withdrawn and sterile dressing will be applied.

Before induction of anaesthesia, the patient is placed on the operating table and placed in a forward tilted position. Asepsis and antisepsis conditions are provided. The linear USG probe is moved approximately 2-3 cm lateral to the spinous process T5 - T6 level on the side to be operated. The trapezius, rhomboid major and erector spinae muscles will be identified to find the correct probe position. A 22 gauge 50 mm or 22 gauge 80 mm single shot nerve blocks needle will be inserted through the skin in a cranio-caudal direction. With the needle resting on the transverse process, the plane between the erector spinae muscle and the transverse process will be verified by hydrodissection with 5 ml saline solution. Then 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine will be injected. The ESP block will be considered successful if the local anaesthetic spreads linearly up to the T8 - T9 level. The patient will then be placed in the supine position and general anaesthesia will be administered.