Objective To investigate the postoperative analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block (QLB) in patients undergoing arthroscopic hip surgery. Methods Patients who were scheduled to undergo elective arthroscopic hip surgery were randomly assigned to the QLB (Q) or control (C) group (n = 40 each). After general anesthesia induction, unilateral QLB was performed under ultrasound guidance in the Q group. The amount of opioid use via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and the resting and movement pain visual analog scale (VAS) scores when the patient left the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after surgery were recorded. Postoperative complications were recorded for both groups. Results At 24 hours post-surgery, opioid consumption amounts via PCA (48.4 [48.1–48.6] mL) in the Q group were significantly lower compared with the C group (52.0 [51.0–53.8] mL). A significant reduction in opioid consumption was observed between the two groups at each time point. Resting and movement VAS scores at each time point were significantly lower in the Q compared with the C group. Conclusions Hip arthroscopy patients who received QLB and general anesthesia in combination had less pain and a lower opioid requirement within 24 hours postoperatively.

Controlled trials assessing quadratus lumborum block (QLB) for post-operative analgesia in hip surgery are scarce. This study aimed to compare ultrasound-guided QLB and lumbar plexus block (LPB) for clinical efficacy in hip arthroscopy. Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital in January–June 2019 were randomized to the lumbar plexus (L) and quadratus lumborum (Q) groups (n = 25/group). After either ultrasound-guided block for 30 min, both groups were prepared for surgery after muscle strength measurement in the affected limbs. Opioid doses for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), visual analog scale (VAS) scores in the resting and active states, upon leaving the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and at 2–48 h post-surgery were recorded, and post-operative complications were also recorded. Muscle strength in the affected limbs was significantly higher in the Q group compared with the L group (4.0 versus 2.0, P < 0.001). VAS scores were similar in both groups post-surgery (P > 0.05). One patient had epidural spread in the L group, with no other complications. Compared with ultrasound-guided LPB, ultrasound-guided QLB provides similar and good post-operative analgesia after hip arthroscopy, with less impact on muscle strength and fewer complications. These results should be confirmed in larger trials.

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The technique of Spark Mapping Analysis for Large Samples (SMALS) was developed to characterize elemental content and inclusions/carbides on the full surface of a super large sample of size 1000 × 500 mm.