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Ultrasound-guided bilateral quadratus lumborum block in dogs undergoing abdominal surgery: A retrospective study
Kim Fontana1, Francesco Ascione1, Giulia Battaglia1
1Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia Dept., Clinica Veterinaria San Marco, Veggiano, Italy.
Veterinary Journal (London, England : 1997)
|July 11, 2026
Summary
Bilateral quadratus lumborum block (QLB) significantly reduced intraoperative fentanyl use and maintained anesthetic depth (MAC) in dogs undergoing abdominal surgery. This locoregional technique proved effective for managing pain and anesthesia in canine patients.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Anesthesiology
- Locoregional Anesthesia
- Pain Management in Animals
Background:
- Abdominal surgeries in dogs require effective intraoperative analgesia.
- The quadratus lumborum block (QLB) is a locoregional anesthesia technique with potential analgesic benefits.
- Evaluating QLB's efficacy compared to systemic analgesia is crucial for optimizing pain management protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the intraoperative analgesic efficacy of bilateral quadratus lumborum block (QLB) versus systemic analgesia (SA) in dogs undergoing abdominal laparotomy.
- To assess complications associated with QLB and SA during abdominal surgery in dogs.
- To determine the impact of QLB on anesthetic requirements and hemodynamic stability.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of dogs undergoing abdominal laparotomy from January 2022 to April 2023.
- Dogs were divided into two groups: bilateral quadratus lumborum block (QLB) with ropivacaine and systemic analgesia (SA) with fentanyl, lidocaine, or ketamine.
- Data collected included demographics, ASA status, surgery type, anesthetic parameters (MAC), and incidence of hypotension (IH) and cardiovascular interventions (CVI).
Main Results:
- Intraoperative fentanyl use was significantly lower in the QLB group (0.00 µg kg-1 min-1) compared to the SA group (0.07 µg kg-1 min-1, p < 0.001).
- Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) was significantly lower in the QLB group (0.857) versus the SA group (0.935, p < 0.001), indicating reduced anesthetic requirement.
- Incidence of hypotension (IH) and cardiovascular interventions (CVI) did not differ between groups; IH correlated with lower MAC in the SA group but not in the QLB group.
Conclusions:
- Bilateral quadratus lumborum block (QLB) is an effective analgesic technique for dogs undergoing abdominal surgery.
- QLB reduces the need for intraoperative opioids (fentanyl) and lowers anesthetic requirements (MAC).
- QLB does not increase the risk of hypotension or cardiovascular interventions compared to systemic analgesia in this cohort.
