Clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spinae plane block for standing lumbar spinous osteotomy in a horse

Abstract

The ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (ESP) block has been described as a safe technique for controlling perioperative pain of the thoracic, lumbar and abdominal regions in humans ( Chin et al., 2019 Chin K.J. Ahikary S.D. Forero M. Erector spinae plane (ESP) block: a new paradigm in regional anesthesia and analgesia. Curr Anesthesiol Rep. 2019; 9: 271-280 Crossref Scopus (24) Google Scholar ), dogs ( Zannin et al., 2020 Zannin D. Isaka L.J. Pereira R.H. Mencalha R. Opioid-free total intravenous anesthesia with bilateral ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for perioperative pain control in a dog undergoing dorsal hemilaminectomy. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2020; 47: 728-731 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar ; Portela et al., 2021 Portela D.A. Romano M. Zamora G.A. et al. The effect of erector spinae plane block on perioperative analgesic consumption and complications in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy surgery: a retrospective cohort study. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2021; 48: 116-124 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar ) and cats ( Alza Salvatierra et al., 2021 Alza Salvatierra D.N. Herrera Linares M.E. Motta L. Martinez M. Ultrasound-guided erector spinae interfascial plane block for spinal surgery in three cats. JFMS Open Rep. 2021; 720551169211043814 PubMed Google Scholar ). The ultrasonographic landmarks and injectate distribution have been described in equine cadavers, after ultrasound-guided ESP injection at the sixteenth thoracic (T16) vertebra ( Bautista Díaz-Delgado et al., 2021 Bautista Díaz-Delgado O. Louro L.F. Rocchigiani G. et al. Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block in horses: a cadaver study. Vet Anaesth Analg. 2021; 48: 577-584 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (7) Google Scholar ). The technique proved adequate perioperative analgesia in a horse undergoing dorsal spinous process ostectomy and desmotomy under general anesthesia ( Rodriguez et al., 2022 Rodriguez A. Medina-Serra R. Lynch N. Veres-Nyeki K. Erector spinae plane block as part of a multimodal analgesic approach in an anaesthetised horse undergoing dorsal spinous process ostectomy and desmotomy. Vet Rec Case Rep. 2022; e345 (early view))https://doi.org/10.1002/vrc2.345 Crossref Scopus (1) Google Scholar ). Currently, no prospective clinical study has demonstrated the efficacy of the ESP block for surgeries of the thoracolumbar spine in horses. We report using the ultrasound-guided ESP block as part of analgesic management of a horse undergoing lumbar spinous fracture debridement with standing sedation.