Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32122319›Full record

SynthesisBMC anesthesiology2020

Quadratus lumborum block versus transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing abdominal surgeries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Xiancun Liu, Tingting Song, Xuejiao Chen, Jingjing Zhang, Conghui Shan, Liangying Chang, Haiyang Xu

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC anesthesiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 39 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
39citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
7.6field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05257941 phase1 / phase2terminatednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Randomized Prospective Study Comparison of Erector Spinae Plane Block and Intrathecal Opioid for Postoperative Analgesia After Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery in an Enhanced Recovery Setting

TypeinterventionalSponsorIndiana UniversityRan2022 to 2024Enrolled116ConditionsSurgeryArmsIT Injection, ESP Block
NCT06953635 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Quadratus Lumborum Blocks for Pain Control Following Open Ventral Hernia Repair: A Double Blinded Randomized Control Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Tennessee Graduate School of MedicineRan2025 to 2026Enrolled70ConditionsHernia, Ventral, Pain ManagementArmsQuadratus Lumborum (QL) Block, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

39 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 81 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Fascial plane blocks in pediatric patients.Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Xiancun LiuDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Tingting SongDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Xuejiao ChenDepartment of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.
Jingjing ZhangDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Conghui ShanDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Liangying ChangDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China.
Haiyang XuDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, No.71 Xinmin street, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China. haiyang1975@163.com.
First Hospital of Jilin University · CNChina-Japan Friendship Hospital · CNJilin University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAbdominal surgery is common and is associated with severe postoperative pain. The transverse abdominal plane (TAP) block is considered an effective means for pain control in such cases. The quadratus lumborum (QL) block is another option for the management of postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis and thereby evaluate the efficacy and safety of QL blocks and TAP blocks for pain management after abdominal surgery.

methodsWe comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and CNKI for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared QL blocks and TAP blocks for pain management in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. All of the data were screened and evaluated by two researchers. RevMan5.3 was adopted for the meta-analysis.

resultsA total of 8 RCTs involving 564 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to postoperative pain scores at 2 h (standardized mean difference [Std.MD] = - 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] = - 2.63 to - 0.89; p < .001), 4 h (Std.MD = -0.77; 95% CI = -1.36 to - 0.18; p = .01),6 h (Std.MD = -1.24; 95% CI = -2.31 to - 0.17; p = .02),12 h (Std.MD = -0.70; 95% CI = -1.27 to - 0.13; p = .02) and 24 h (Std.MD = -0.65; 95% CI = -1.29 to - 0.02; p = .04); postoperative morphine consumption at 24 h (Std.MD = -1.39; 95% CI = -1.83 to - 0.95; p < .001); and duration of postoperative analgesia (Std.MD = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.85 to 2.75; p < .001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (RR = 0.55;95% CI = 0.27 to 1.14;p = 0.11).

conclusionThe QL block provides better pain management with less opioid consumption than the TAP block after abdominal surgery. In addition, there are no differences between the TAP block and QL block with respect to PONV.

Indexed as

Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicAbdomenAbdominal MusclesAnalgesiaHumansNerve BlockPostoperative PainAbdominal surgeryMeta-analysisPain scoresQuadratus lumborum (QL) blockTransversus abdominis plane (TAP) block

Identifiers

PMID32122319
PMCPMC7053127
OpenAlexW3010750879

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.