EXPRESS: Ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block versus lumbosacral epidural anaesthesia in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy: a randomized pilot clinical trial.

Ultrasound-guided QLB provides analgesic efficacy comparable to lumbosacral epidural in cats undergoing OVH.

This randomized, blinded pilot clinical trial compared bilateral ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block (QLB) with lumbosacral epidural (LsE) anesthesia in 20 healthy female cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Both groups received levobupivacaine at different doses (QLB: 0.3 ml/kg per hemiabdomen; LsE: 0.4 ml/kg) following premedication with dexmedetomidine and meloxicam. Cardiopulmonary parameters, propofol infusion rates, postoperative pain scores, sedation levels, and recovery milestones were assessed. Results demonstrated no significant differences between groups in cardiopulmonary variables, intraoperative propofol requirements, postoperative pain management, or recovery times. Only one cat in the QLB group required rescue analgesia at 6 hours postoperatively. Both techniques provided comparable analgesic efficacy and hemodynamic stability. No block-related complications or adverse events were observed. The findings support ultrasound-guided QLB as a viable alternative to lumbosacral epidural anesthesia in cats, particularly in cases where epidural access is contraindicated or technically challenging.

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