[Effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block on perioperative analgesia in middle-aged and elderly patients undergoing posterior cervical spine surgery: A prospective randomized controlled trial].
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Posterior cervical spine surgery is a common surgical procedure for cervical spine diseases, and inadequate perioperative pain control can severely affect patient recovery. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has shown favorable analgesic effects in thoracic and lumbar spine surgery. However, its perioperative analgesic effect in middle-aged and elderly patients undergoing posterior cervical spine surgery still requires further validation. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ultrasound-guided ESPB on perioperative analgesia in middle-aged and elderly patients undergoing posterior cervical spine surgery. METHODS: A total of 64 middle-aged and elderly patients (≥45 years) who underwent posterior cervical spine surgery at the Department of Spine Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, between August 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, were enrolled as study subjects. They were randomly assigned at a 1꞉1 ratio to the ESPB group or the general anesthesia (GA) group. The ESPB group received ultrasound-guided ESPB after GA, whereas the GA group received GA alone. The primary outcome was intraoperative sufentanil consumption. Secondary outcomes included Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores at 24 and 48 h postoperatively, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores at different postoperative time points, mean arterial pressure (MAP) at multiple time points in the operating room, postoperative rescue analgesia, extubation time, anesthesia recovery time, postoperative length of hospital stay, and nerve block-related complications. Differences in outcomes were compared between the ESPB and GA groups. RESULTS: >0.05). No nerve block-related complications were observed during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block can significantly reduce intraoperative opioid consumption, decrease postoperative pain scores, shorten extubation time, and to a certain extent improve early postoperative recovery quality in middle-aged and elderly patients undergoing posterior cervical spine surgery. ESPB may be a safe and effective perioperative analgesic strategy.
Source: PubMed Central
Language: Chinese
Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223956336