WONDER DRUG LIPOSOMAL BUPIVACAINE

APPLICATION FOR LUMBAR FUSION

Lumbar spine fusion is associated with postoperative pain despite advances in minimal invasive techniques using computerized navigation. We previously documented reductions in pain scores and length of stay with continuous thoracic epidural clonidine (1). TAP blocks were shown to provide additive relief for anterior lumbar interbody spine fusions (2). Our surgery center reported continuous paraspinous pain blocks in 2013 for mastectomy (3). This paraspinous block would now be commonly known as an erector spinae plane block (ESP). Five years later we reported same day ambulation after TLIF using continuous ESP catheters (4). Regional anesthesia ESP blocks for lumbar spine fusion requires a team approach to avoid sensory monitoring surgical issues. We developed a technique for our neurosurgeon to place intraoperative stealth guided ESP blocks if anesthesia was not available... Please see post below for full abstract.