Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Erector Spinae Plane Block for Acute Low Back Pain

300 participantsStarted 2026-03

Plain-language summary

Non-Specific low back pain (NSLB) is an important public health problem with a major economic and social impact. It is defined by the location of pain, between the lower rib margins and the lumbar vertebrae. Medical management of Non-Specific low back pain injury focuses on reducing pain and its consequences. Nowadays, no strategy has shown optimal effectiveness to improve outcome substantially. The ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a well-known intermuscular compartment block. In the absence of red flag signs, ESPB can be performed for low back pain to reduce pain, decrease opiate requirements and limit emergency admissions for refractory pain. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the ESPB in patients suffering from NSLB.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult (≥ 18 years); * Non-specific low back pain (≤ 5 days); * Pain score (VAS) ≥ 5 (during mobilization); * Inability to walk easily (failure of the "Get Up and Go" test in less than 20 seconds). Exclusion Criteria: * Low back pain of known specific origin: spine surgery, spine trauma, discal hernia, facet joint, radicular (sciatica, cruralgia, meralgia paresthetica), muscle pain, cancer-related or rheumatological disease; * Referred or chronic pain; * Patients with opioids (acute or chronic pain and/or misuse); * Contraindication to regional anaesthesia; * Contraindication to ropivacaine, dexamethasone, sodium chloride, NSAID, paracetamol, tramadol; * Known hypersensitivity to ropivacaine, dexamethasone, other amide-type local anesthetics, or any of the excipients; * Addiction to drugs, alcohol or medication; * Patients with anticoagulants for a curative use (not preventive); * Patients with cancer or risk of bone metastasis or; severe osteoporosis; * Acute inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis…); * Patient with severe hypotension or uncontrolled hypertension or; Heart Block (uncorrected second- or third-degree heart block without a pacemaker) or; severe bradycardia; * Patients with severe liver or renal disease or peptic ulcer disease; * Presence of infection or sepsis at the injection site; * Patients with uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or protozoan infections or; systemic fungal infections or; active untreated …

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Rate of Success of the treatment

Timeframe: 30 minutes post-procedure

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07434024

SponsorUniversity Hospital, Montpellier

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2029-03

Contact for this trial

Sophie Bringuier, Pharm D PhD

+33467338661 s-bringuierbranchereau@chu-montpellier.fr

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Non-specific Low Back Pain (NSLBP) trials