External oblique intercostal plane block as an alternative to subcostal TAP block for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study

Background The external oblique intercostal plane (EOIP) block is a novel technique proposed for upper abdominal analgesia; however, its clinical efficacy remains unclear. This study compares EOIP and subcostal TAP (sTAP) blocks in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), focusing on postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements. Methods Eighty patients were divided into two groups: EOIP block and subcostal TAP. Bilateral blocks were performed with 20 ml 0.375% bupivacaine in both groups after general anesthesia. Patients were evaluated in the PACU and postoperative periods. Visual analogue pain scores (VAS) and opioid consumption were measured. Results There was no statistical difference between VAS scores at rest and active movement at all measurement times (p > 0.05). Opioid consumption in the first 4 h was less in the sTAP group than in the EOIP group (p = 0.039) However, there was no statistical difference in opioid consumption at 24 h (p = 0.215). There was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of rescue analgesia, opioid and block-related complications (p > 0.05). Conclusions Given its comparable efficacy to the subcostal TAP block in lessening opioid consumption and postoperative pain, the EOIP block represents a practical and effective adjunct to multimodal analgesia procedures in LC. Trial registration number NCT05632991 (registered at clinicaltrials, principal investigator: Ali Ahiskalioglu, registration date: November 21, 2022).