Comparing Erector Spinae Plane Block and Subcutaneous Anesthesia for Pain and Opioid Use After Lumbar Fusion Surgery

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating how different methods of injecting local anesthesia affect pain and opioid use after lumbar fusion surgery. The trial compares subcutaneous anesthesia, which involves injecting anesthesia under the skin near the surgical incision, to the erector spinae plane block ESPB, where anesthesia is injected along the back muscles and bones using fluoroscopy for guidance. The study will use patient-reported outcomes and track opioid use to see if ESPB leads to less pain and lower opioid consumption compared to subcutaneous injections. Participants will receive either an ESPB injection before surgery while under general anesthesia or a subcutaneous anesthesia injection after surgery but still under general anesthesia. Both injections contain saline, liposomal bupivacaine, and bupivacaine, with the ESPB targeting the erector spinae fascial plane at the surgical levels and the subcutaneous injection around the incision site. During the study, patients will be monitored for pain, disability, and opioid use at specific times after surgery. Outcomes include the MOS 36 Item Short Form Health Status Survey and the Oswestry Disability Index at three months, as well as opioid usage in the two weeks following surgery. The study is randomized and double-blinded to fairly compare the two anesthesia methods, with follow-up assessments to evaluate patient recovery and opioid consumption.

Effects of Erector Spinae Plane Block on Postoperative Pain Following Lumbar Fusion Surgery