Table 2 Main outcome measurements of studies included in this review

Kumar (2023) [14]

18–60

lumbar discectomy, lumbar laminoplasty

ESPB (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

20 ml 0.2% ropivacaine bilaterally

24 h: 1.5 (1–2.25) vs 3 (2–3.25)^a

48 h: 2 (1–2) vs 2 (2–2)

48 h fentanyl (ug): 124.16 ± 80.8 vs 189.7 ± 141.1^a

No incidences ofLAST in either group

Pavithran (2022) [15]

20–60

posterior lumbar spine fusion

WI (n = 35)

cTLIP (n = 36)

40 ml 0.375% ropivacaine and 10 ml 2% lignocaine; 25 mL bilaterally

48 h: 6 (4–7) vs 4 (3–5)^a

Total tramadol (mg): 220.3 ± 86.9 vs 100 ± 40.8^a

% requiring rescue analgesia: 91.4 vs 27.8

Time to first analgesia (min): 340 (180–360) vs 1440 (1290–2280)^a

Ciftci (2020) [10]

18–65

lumbar discectomy

GA (n = 30)

ESPB (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

20 mL of 0.25% BPVC bilaterally

24 h: 0 (0–1) vs 0 (0–1) vs 0 (0–1)

Total opioids (mcg): 140 (80–260)^a ^ vs 20 (0–140)^a vs 20 (0–140)^

% requiring rescue analgesia: 70^a ^ vs 30^a vs 23^

% Nausea: 43^a ^ vs 10^a vs 10^

% Vomiting: 23 vs 6 vs 10

% Itching: 13 vs 23 vs 13

Eltaher (2021) [16]

 > 21

Elective spine surgery

GA + NS (n = 30)

cTLIP (n = 30)

20 mL 0.25% BPVC bilaterally

24 h (NRS at rest): 3.43 ± 0.5 vs 2.53 ± 0.97^a

24 h (NRS at passive flexion): 3.93 ± 0.78 vs 2.73 ± 0.87^a

24 h morphine (mg): 14.33 ± 2.58 vs 5.13 ± 1.55^a

Time to first analgesia (hrs): 0.92 ± 1.23 vs 7.30 ± 2.69^a

Tantri (2023) [17]

18–65

posterior lumbar decompression

ESPB (n = 20)

cTLIP (n = 20)

20 mL 0.25% BPVC bilaterally

24 h (NRS): 3 vs 3.5

24 h morphine (mg): 10 (5) vs 7 (3)

Time to first analgesia (min): 300 (154) vs 548 (319)^a

Tantri (2022) [18]

18–65

posterior lumbar stabilization

cTLIP (n = 4)

mTLIP (n = 4)

20 mL 0.25% of BPVC bilaterally

6 h (NRS): 3.75 ± 1.7 vs 2.75 ± 1.5

12 h (NRS): 4 ± 1.6 vs 3.5 ± 1.3

24 h morphine (mg): 3.5 ± 1.3 vs 3.25 ± 1.3

Ince (2019) [19]

18–85

single level discectomy

WI (n = 20)

TLIP (n = 20)

20 mL mixture of BPVC and lidocaine bilaterally

24 h (NRS): 2.70 ± 1.1 vs 2.60 ± 1.1

24 h total fentanyl: 282.0 ± 226.63 vs 206.0 ± 163.0

Ammar (2018) [20]

21–60

single-level or multiple level lumbar discectomy

GA + NS (n = 35)

cTLIP (n = 35)

20 ml mixture of 0.25% BPVC and 1% lidocaine bilaterally

24 h (at rest): 4 (4–4) vs 3.5 (3–4)^a

24 h (movement): 6 (5–6) vs 5 (4–6)

24 h total morphine (mg): 25.88 ± 5.17 vs 9.7 ± 6.38^a

Time to first analgesia (min): 82 ± 69.01 vs 442.7 ± 126.47^a

Sedation score: 3 (2–4) vs 2 (2–2)^a

Nausea score: 0 (0–1) vs 0 (0–0)

Çiftçi (2020) [21]

18–65

single-level lumbar discectomy

cTLIP (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

20 mL 0.25% BPVC bilaterally

24 h (passive): 0.13 ± 0.34 vs 0.37 ± 0.49^a

24 h (active): 0.5 ± 0.68 vs 0.47 ± 0.57

0–8 h fentanyl: 22.66 ± 27.65 vs 29.33 ± 25.04

8–16 h fentanyl: 5.33 ± 13.82 vs 6 ± 11.91

16–24 h fentanyl: 3.33 ± 9.22 vs 2.66 ± 6.91

% Nausea: 6.6 vs 10

% Vomiting: 6.6 vs 10

% Itching: 23.3 vs 13.3

Alver (2023) [22]

18–65

microscopic discectomy

QLB (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

30 mL 0.25% bupivicaine bilaterally

16 h (static NRS): 0.93 ± 0.58 vs 0.33 ± 0.71^a

16 h (dynamic NRS): 1.07 ± 0.79 vs 0.43 ± 0.77^a

% Need of rescue analgesia: 26.6 vs 23.3

% Nausea: 23.3 vs 20

% Vomiting: 20 vs 16.6

% Itching: 13.3 vs 10

Ozmen (2019) [23]

18–60

Single level herniated lumbar disk surgery

GA + NS (n = 40)

mTLIP (n = 40)

20 mL bupivicaine bilaterally

Mean static NRS pain scores were lower in the mTLIP block group, while mean dynamic pain scores were similar

Total fentanyl (mcg): 742.5 ± 220.3 vs 446.0 ± 241.98^a

% Nausea: 35 vs 20

Wang (2021) [24]

No age range given

lumbar spine fusion

GA (n = 102)

ESPB (n = 100)

TLIP (n = 102)

30 mL 0.375% ropivicaine injected bilaterally

Mean static and dynamic pain scores were significantly in favor of mTLIP block group

Perioperative sufentanil (ug): 42.85 ± 7.84^a ^ vs 28.72 ± 3.99^a vs 27.82 ± 3.88^

Frequency PCA compressions: 4.78 ± 0.6 vs 2.69 ± 0.8^a vs 3.28 ± 0.78^a

% Nausea/vomiting: 20.6 vs 14.7 vs 14

% Itching: 10 vs 3.9 vs 6

Çelik (2020) [25]

18–70

single-level lumbar discectomy

Epidural (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

20 mL 0.25% bupivicaine bilaterally

24 h: 4.43 ± 0.72 vs 3.60 ± 0.93^a

Total tramadol (mg): 434.66 ± 86.61 vs 351.33 ± 46.29^a

% rescue analgesia: 36.6 vs 10^a

Not significant between groups

Chen (2019) [12]

21–74

lumbar spinal fusion surgery

GA + NS (n = 30)

cTLIP (n = 30)

30 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine bilaterally

Pain VAS scores were significantly lower with TLIP block group for up to 36 h

Total sufentanil (ug): 42.50 ± 6.40 vs 26.67 ± 5.31^a

Frequency of PCA compressions: 6.47 ± 0.90 vs 3.87 ± 0.94^a

% Nausea/vomiting: 10 vs 8.3

% Itching: 5 vs 5

Ahiskalioglu (2018) [13]

18–65

two- or three-level posterior lumbar surgery

GA + NS (n = 20)

mTLIP (n = 20)

20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine bilaterally

Pain VAS scores were significantly lower with mTLIP

24 h fentanyl (ug): 496 ± 231 vs 289 ± 154^a

% Nausea: 30 vs 3.3^a

Ekinci (2020) [26]

18–65

lumbar disc  surgery

WI (n = 30)

mTLIP (n = 30)

20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine bilaterally

Pain VAS scores were significantly lower with mTLIP for up to 8 h

24 h fentanyl: 223.3 ± 74.1 vs 58.0 ± 32.0^a

% rescue analgesia: 50 vs 23^a

% Nausea: 27 vs 7^a

% Vomiting: 17 vs 0^a

% Itching: 20 vs 3^a

Bicak (2021) [27]

18–75

lumbar disc surgery

WI (n = 21)

mTLIP (n = 21)

20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine bilaterally

24 h: 0.74 vs 1.08

Opioid consumption (mg/kg): 27.38 ± 44.65 vs 19.04 ± 40.23

Complication rate (%): 4.8 vs 4.8