Which fascial plane block is right for my patient? A practical decision-making algorithm for abdominal surgery

Abstract Background Optimizing postoperative pain management is central to successful recovery following abdominal surgery and is a key component of enhanced recovery protocols. While multimodal analgesia is considered standard practice, selecting the most appropriate regional analgesic technique remains challenging, especially when neuraxial analgesia is contraindicated or undesirable. Ultrasound-guided abdominal fascial plane blocks have emerged as valuable alternatives, offering targeted soma