Bilateral External Oblique Intercostal Catheter for Post-operative Analgesia After Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Case Report

Abstract

Open pancreaticoduodenectomy, also known as Whipple surgery, is a complex and painful procedure that requires a multi-modal analgesic approach for successful post-operative rehabilitation and recovery. While thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) remains the gold standard for pain relief after open upper abdominal surgery, it carries many risks that may outweigh the potential benefits of the technique. Furthermore, in laparoscopic converted to open pancreaticoduodenectomy cases, post-operative placement of a thoracic epidural catheter is inconvenient to the patient due to pain and positioning. The external oblique intercostal (EOI) block is a novel method that provides somatic analgesia to the upper abdomen. We present a case of bilateral EOI block with catheter insertion for post-operative analgesia in a patient who underwent laparoscopic converted to open Whipple surgery.