[Continuous erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia of multiple rib fracture surgery: case report]

The erector spinae plane block is a newly described and effective interfascial plane block for thoracic and abdominal surgery. This case report describes a patient with multiple rib fractures undergoing ultrasound-guided continuous erector spinae plane block for analgesia.

A 37-year-old male patient was taken for surgical fixation of multiple rib fractures. At the end of the surgery, using ultrasound-guided longitudinal parasagittal orientation 3cm to the lateral aspect of the T5 spinous process and an in-plane technique, 20mL 0.25% bupivacaine was administered between the erector spinae muscle and the transverse process, and a catheter was then inserted in the same plane. Before the end of surgery, 1g paracetamol and 50mg dexketoprofen were administered. Postoperative analgesia was applied with patient controlled analgesia method using 0.25% bupivacaine via the catheter. The patient's Visual Analogue Scale score at rest in the first 24h was 0. The patient was monitored for 3 days with Visual Analogue Scale<4, and the catheter was removed on postoperative day 4. No opioid requirement other than paracetamol and dexketoprofen occurred during this time. No postoperative complications were recorded.

The erector spinae plane block is an alternative to paravertebral, intercostal, epidural or other regional techniques. It may be a suitable technique in anesthesia and algology practice due to providing analgesia in the postoperative period with a catheter in the erector spinae plane.