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Case report shows analgesia improved epigastric pain and thoracoabdominal VOC crisis in sickle cell disease, indicating ESPB may reduce opioid use.
This report aims to demonstrate the potential role of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in managing refractory epigastric and chest pain due to vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs). An 18-year-old girl with sickle cell disease (SCD) presented to the emergency department with refractory epigastric and chest pain due to VOC. An ultrasound-guided left-sided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) using 30 mL of 0.2% ropivacaine provided rapid and sustained analgesia, reducing her Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain score from 8/10 at baseline to 0/10 at 2 hours postblock. She remained pain-free at 24 hours of follow-up and required no additional systemic opioids during a 48-hour inpatient observation period, suggesting ESPB feasible, opioid-sparing adjunct for thoracoabdominal VOC pain.
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Mohanty et al. (2026) studied this question.
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