EFFICACY OF ERECTOR SPINAE BLOCK FOR POST-OPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT IN TRANSFORAMINAL LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Background:Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a common surgical procedure for lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. Post-operative pain management remains a significant challenge. The efficacy of regional anesthesia techniques in reducing postoperative pain following surgical procedures has been minimally explored in lumbar interbody fusions. This case-control study investigated the efficacy of erector spinae plane block in reducing post-operative pain after TLIF.We compared patients who received an ESP block (case group) with those who did not (control group) regarding pain Scores,analgesic requirements,ambulation time,and length of hospital stay.Method: A total of 120 patients scheduled for TLIF surgery at BIRRD(T) hospital ,Tirupathi were included in this case-control study. Patients were divided into two groups:those receiving the erector spinae block (ESB group, n=60) and those receiving standard analgesia (control group,n=60).Pain levels were assessed at multiple postoperative intervals (immediate,4,8, 12, 24, and 48 hours) using a numerical rating scale (NRS). Analgesic requirements, ambulation times, and length of hospital stays were also recorded.Results:The ESB group experienced significantly lower pain scores at all time points compared to the control group. Notably, patients who received ESB required less rescue analgesia during the first 24 hours postoperatively.Ambulation was initiated earlier in the ESB group (mean 20 hours) compared to the control group (mean 24 hours).The average length of hospital stay was shorter in the ESB group (4 days vs.6 days).Conclusions: The use of erector spinae blocks in patients undergoing TLIF significantly enhances postoperative pain control, reduces analgesic consumption, and accelerates recovery. These findings support the incorporation of ESB as a standard adjunctive technique in lumbar spine surgery.