Key result
Bilateral erector spinae plane block reduces refractory spinal fracture pain to ~3 in one case.
Why the study?
Spine fractures can cause difficult-to-treat, opioid-resistant pain, and effective analgesic strategies are needed for such cases.
Does bilateral erector spinae plane block improve analgesia in a patient with opioid-resistant pain due to thoracic spinal fractures?
Case Report (n=1)
Does bilateral erector spinae plane block improve analgesia in a patient with opioid-resistant pain due to thoracic spinal fractures?
Bilateral erector spinae plane block may provide effective analgesia for opioid-resistant pain caused by thoracic spinal fractures.
May support use in refractory thoracic fracture pain; hypothesis-generating and should not change practice without controlled trials.
Spine fractures can be associated with difficult-to-treat pain.We report the case of a man with refractory, opioid resistant, pain due to thoracic spinal fractures secondary to melanoma metastases.We successfully used a bilateral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) to obtain analgesia both before and after surgery.This is the first demonstration of the use of an ESPB to treat opioid-resistant pain caused by a spinal fracture.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Cédric Cirenei (2022) conducted a case report in Thoracic spinal fractures secondary to melanoma metastases (n=1). Bilateral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) was evaluated on Pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale). Bilateral erector spinae plane block successfully provided analgesia for refractory, opioid-resistant pain caused by a thoracic spinal fracture, reducing the numerical rating scale pain score from 7-9/10 to 3/10 at rest.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: