ANAESTHESIOLOGY - REGIONAL ANAESTHESIA / REVIEW ARTICLE
Ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia techniques for post-caesarean analgesia: a narrative review of current evidence
1
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
2
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Dr Wladyslaw Bieganski Regional Specialist Hospital, Grudziadz, Poland
3
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
4
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, University Clinical Centre, Gdansk, Poland
Submission date: 2026-02-26
Final revision date: 2026-03-17
Acceptance date: 2026-04-01
Publication date: 2026-04-21
Corresponding author
Wojciech Gola
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, 5 Żeromskiego St., 25-369 Kielce, Poland
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, 5 Żeromskiego St., 25-369 Kielce, Poland
Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther 2026;58(1):71-77
KEYWORDS
multimodal analgesiatransversus abdominis plane blockintrathecal morphineultrasound-guided regional anaesthesiapost-caesarean analgesia
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Optimal postoperative pain management after caesarean delivery is a fundamental component of perioperative care and enhanced recovery protocols in obstetric anaesthesia. Although intrathecal morphine (ITM) remains the gold standard for post-caesarean analgesia, its use is not always feasible or desirable. This narrative review synthesises current evidence regarding ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia techniques employed for post-caesarean analgesia, with emphasis on anatomical rationale, clinical efficacy, and their role when neuraxial opioids are omitted. Available data indicate that abdominal wall blocks provide effective somatic analgesia and meaningful opioid-sparing benefits, particularly in the absence of ITM. Careful technique selection and integration within multimodal analgesic pathways are essential to optimise postoperative outcomes.
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