Retrolaminar block (RLB) is a novel paraspinal block method. At present, it is mainly used in the anesthesia and analgesia of thoracic and spinal surgery. Because RLB is simple and safe, it is expected to replace paravertebral nerve block (PVB) to meet the needs of perioperative analgesia. Ultrasound‑guided RLB can not only provide effective analgesic effect and reduce the consumption of opioids, but also accelerate the postoperative recovery of patients. This paper systematically reviews the anatomical basis, mechanism, ultrasonic locatization methods, application in different operations, and shortcomings of the retrolaminar block, in order to provide an effective analgesic method for clinical application.