Postoperative analgesic effect of lumbar erector spinae plane block for developmental hip dysplasia surgery: a randomized controlled double-blind study

Open surgery for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) may cause severe pain due to tenotomies and pelvic-femoral osteotomies. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided Lumbar Erector Spina Plane (L-ESP) Block in pediatric patients undergoing DDH surgery. Sixty children scheduled for DDH surgery were randomly assigned into two groups. Group I (n = 30) received L-ESP with 0.5 mL/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine before surgery. In contrast, Group II (n = 30), as the control group, received the same volume of saline injection. Identical postoperative analgesia protocol was adjusted for both groups. Parental satisfaction, pain levels, ibuprofen, and opioid consumption were recorded. Pain levels were evaluated with the FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Crying, Consolability) scale. FLACC scores at the first 24th hours were lower in the L-ESP group than the control group (p < 0.001). Rescue opioid utilization was higher in the control group (15/26) than in the L-ESP group (2/29) (p < 0.001). The consumption of ibuprofen was higher in the control group than in the L-ESP group in the ward (24/26 vs. 3/29, p < 0.001, respectively). Parental satisfaction was superior in the L-ESP group (p = 0.024). To provide postoperative analgesia for DDH surgery, ultrasound-guided L-ESP may be an effective and alternative regional anesthetic technique.