Is the Erector Spinae Plane Block Effective for More than Perioperative Pain? A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: The thoracic Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) is an ultrasound-guided block that has gained popularity and is widely used in acute pain setups. However, data regarding its role in chronic and cancer-related pain are anecdotal. Material and Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent ESPB. The cohort was divided into subgroups based on three determinants: etiology, pain type, and chronicity. Results: One hundred and ten patients were included, and genders were affected equally. The average age was 61.2 +/- 16.1 years. The whole group had a statistically significant reduction in a numerical rating scale (NRS) (7.4 +/- 1.4 vs. 5.0 +/- 2.6, p-value > 0.001). NRS reduction for 45 patients (41%) exceeded 50% of the pre-procedural NRS. The mean follow-up was 7.9 +/- 4.6 weeks. Baseline and post-procedure NRS were comparable between all subgroups. The post-procedural NRS was significantly lower than the pre-procedural score within each group. The proportion of patients with over 50% improvement in NRS was lower for those with symptom duration above 12 months (p-value = 0.02). Conclusions: Thoracic ESPB is a simple and safe technique. The results support the possible role of ESPB for chronic as well as cancer-related pain.