RecruitingPhase 3

The Effect of Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) on Pediatric Pain Management Following Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF) Surgery

United States42 participantsStarted 2025-06-06

Plain-language summary

This study is being done to better understand the efficacy of an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in pain management for children with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis or Neuromuscular Scoliosis undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion surgery. The study team is trying to find out if receiving the ESPB leads to less pain and less need for pain medication after surgery. The ESPB involves an injection of a local anesthetic, ropivacaine, into your child's back muscles to help block pain signals.

Who can participate

Age range

10 Years – 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: * Diagnosis of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) or neuromuscular scoliosis * Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion (PSF) Surgery Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with forms of scoliosis other than AIS or NM Scoliosis. * Patients undergoing a spinal deformity correction surgery other than Posterior Spinal Fusion Surgery * Allergy or other contraindication to erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with Ropivacaine patients who are taking pre-operative opioids

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

Compare Oral Morphine Equivalents and Benzodiazepine Doses used in the first 72 hours after surgery among patients who have a ESPB with standard postoperative pain protocols versus those with standard protocols alone.

Timeframe: Change from Baseline to 72 hours after surgery.

Evaluate if combining ESPBs with standard postoperative pain protocols reduce postoperative pain scores in the first 24 hours postoperatively as compared to standard protocols alone.

Timeframe: From Baseline to 24 hours after surgery.

Assess time to clearance from physical therapy among patients who have a ESPB with standard postoperative pain protocols versus those with standard protocols alone.

Timeframe: From postoperative day 1 to physical therapy clearance.

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07561827

SponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-01-26

Contact for this trial

Tripta Rughwani

415-353-4701 tripta.rughwani@ucsf.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) trials