Study Summary

Twenty-three patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion were randomized to receive bilateral erector spinae plane block or no erector spinae plane block. The outcomes of interest were the practicality of integrating erector spinae plane blocks into a rapid recovery pathway, opioid consumption, numerical rating scale (NRS) pain scores, patient and parent satisfaction, and hospital length of stay. Outcomes were assessed at 8 and 12 hours postoperatively, postoperative day 1, and at discharge. Overall, the results of the study revealed that erector spinae plane blocks were feasible to incorporate into the perioperative recovery pathway. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative pain scores, opioid requirements, satisfaction scores, or length of stay between groups, including cumulative oral morphine equivalents (OME). These findings suggest that although erector spinae plane blocks are practical in this setting, additional studies are needed to determine their clinical benefit and optimal use in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery.