Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Conventional Analgesia in Complex Spine Surgery

Enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) emphasize evidence-based, multimodal anesthetic and analgesic choices to minimize opioid consumption while providing adequate pain control after surgery. Although ERPs for spine surgery are now being described, few pathways include regional analgesia. The Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) may represent a novel opportunity to incorporate regional analgesia into ERPs for spine surgery. To date, there is minimal data to support the utility of ESPB in spine surgery, and this block has not yet been evaluated in complex spine surgery. This study seeks to see whether ESPB will reduce opioid consumption and pain scores, and improve patient recovery during the first 24 hours after complex spine surgery when included in a comprehensive ERP.