Erector Spinae Block a safe, simple and effective analgesic technique for major hepatobiliary surgery with thrombocytopenia

Abstract Hepatobiliary surgeries are associated with severe pain, and coagulopathy. Adequate pain control is vital and difficult to achieve for these patients. Epidural analgesia is considered the routine standard technique for the management of both somatic and visceral pain from major abdominal surgeries until now. However, it is invasive, blind and carries the risk of dural or vascular puncture. Coagulopathy found in patients posted for hepatobiliary surgery further increases the concerns. We found ultrasound guided erector spinae plane block as a safe, simple yet an effective alternative to epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management of hepatobiliary surgeries.