Management of Perioperative Pain Using Erector Spinae Plane Block in Open Microscopic Lumbar Surgery

Most open spine surgery exacts a high degree of postsurgical pain due to the incision and muscle dissection of the vertebra. The postoperative pain control and early mobilization improve the quality of the surgical care. Inadequate pain relief might result in perioperative morbidity, resulting in prolonged hospital stays. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is an interfascial plane block where local anaesthetic is injected in a plane preferably below the erector spinae muscle. It can provide thoracic, abdominal, and even some lower extremity analgesia. It was also theorised that erector spinae plane block can reduce opioid use and provide analgesia for lumbar surgery. The financial cost that is saved by reducing the length of hospital stay, perioperative morbidity will warrant the use of erector spinae plane block in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.