Use of erector spinae plane block as treatment for acute traumatic rib fracture pain: A narrative literature review
Abstract
The erector spinae plane block (ESP) is an interfacial block that provides sensory blockade of multiple dermatomes in the anterior and posterior region of the chest with great analgesic benefit in patients with severe chest pain of traumatic origin. This ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia and analgesia technique has been producing good results with fewer complications, generating interest in the scientific community and motivating the carrying out of studies to evaluate the clinical impact. The clinical use of this technique in patients with severe acute post-traumatic chest pain that is difficult to manage has been increasingly used and could be considered a good strategy for the early approach of these patients.
This narrative review of the literature summarizes the results obtained in publications reported between 2020 and 2023 on the analgesic response and possible complications in the use of this analgesic technique for patients with acute rib cage pain of traumatic origin. This review included 16 articles in which data were extracted that allowed the analgesic response to be evaluated according to the decrease in the analgesic rating scale and the adverse events presented. The favorable analgesic response provided by this technique of regional anesthesia and analgesia could reduce the side effects related to the administration of opioid medications and the length of hospital stay.
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