Pediatric anesthesia & critical care
Erector spinae plane block for analgesia in children undergoing surgery: A systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis
Authors' conclusion
In children undergoing surgery, ESPB was associated with lower intra and postoperative opioid consumption, higher time to first analgesic requirement, and lower PONV, but these differences may be of modest clinical significance.
Study context
- Population
- Children undergoing surgery
- Participants
- 570 children · 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
- Comparison
- Systemic analgesia with vs without ESPB
- ESPBn = 287
- Outcome
- Analgesic efficacy outcomes
Methodological detailstrial sequential analysis
- Trial sequential analysis
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
ESPB vs Systemic analgesia aloneMD, μg/kg (95 % CI)P value
Intraoperative opioid consumption
−1.03(−1.73 to −0.33)
P < 0.01ESPB vs Systemic analgesia aloneMD, mg/kg (95 % CI)P value
Postoperative opioid consumption
−0.08(−0.12 to −0.03)
P < 0.01ESPB vs Systemic analgesia aloneMD, min (95 % CI)P value
Time to first analgesic requirement
138.76(84.20–193.32)
P < 0.01ESPB vs Systemic analgesia aloneRelative risk (95 % CI)P value
PONV
0.42(0.23–0.77)
P < 0.01Further pooled results
| Outcome | SMD (95 % CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postoperative pain · 6 hReported as no difference between groups | −0.61 (−1.16 to −0.07) | P = 0.03 | |
| Postoperative pain · 12 h | −0.13 (−0.36 to 0.11) | P = 0.28 | |
| Postoperative pain · 24 h | −0.59 (−0.97 to −0.21) | P < 0.01 | |
| −1.5−1−0.500.5Difference (linear scale) |
Original publication
Erector spinae plane block for analgesia in children undergoing surgery: A systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis. J Clin Anesth. Published 6 May 2025. doi:10.
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