Background and Aims Posterior spine instrumentation and fusion (PSF) is a painful surgery undertaken to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Ultrasound-guided Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) may present a new opportunity to apply regional analgesia to pediatric patients undergoing this surgery. To date, there exist limited applications of regional anesthesia for PSF in a comprehensive enhanced recovery pathway. We assessed the feasibility of performing ESPB in patients with AIS undergoing PSF.

Methods This randomized control trial was approved by the institutional review board of the Hospital for Special Surgery (IRB# 2019-2131). A total of 24 patients were enrolled; 12 patients were randomized to receive the bilateral ESPB with local anesthesia and 12 did not receive the bilateral ESPB. Patients in both the ESPB group and no block group received the same standard anesthetic/analgesic regimen.

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Abstract EP020 Figure 1

CONSORT patient flow diagram

Results To reach our enrollment target of 24 participants, we approached 57 eligible patients. Out of the 12 patients randomized to the ESPB group, 9 (75.0%) successfully received the allocated intervention. Completion of the block in two patients was unsuccessful. In addition, one case was cancelled due to an unrelated intraoperative complication. Patients and their parents in the ESPB group were on average more satisfied with their pain management postoperatively than the control group.

Conclusions Within our cohort, we successfully administered ESPB to 75% of the patients in the treatment group. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential benefits of ESPB improving postoperative analgesia and decreasing patient opioid requirements in patients with AIS undergoing PSF.