Pediatric anesthesia & critical care
Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Retrolaminar Block for Perioperative Analgesia in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized, Double-blinded, Noninferiority Clinical Trial
Authors' conclusion
RLB is noninferior to ESPB in pediatric cardiac surgery, providing comparable analgesic efficacy, safety, and postoperative recovery outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 1 day to 18 years scheduled for elective cardiac surgery (RACHS categories 1–6), tertiary centre in South India
- Participants
- 298 children
- Comparison
- Retrolaminar block vs ESP block
- Erector spinae plane block (ESPB)n = 149reference
- Retrolaminar block (RLB)n = 149
- Primary endpoint
- Hemodynamic response to surgical incision (>10% rise in heart rate)
Methodological detailsprospective, double-blinded, noninferiority, single-centre, Blocks performed by one of four anesthesiologists under ultrasound guidance; treating anesthesiologist and intensive care unit (ICU) intensivist blinded
- Prospective
- Double-blinded
- Noninferiority
- Single-centre
- Blocks performed by one of four anesthesiologists under ultrasound guidance; treating anesthesiologist and ICU intensivist blinded
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
P = 0.3
Secondary outcomes
Intraoperative drug consumption, pain and sedation scores, ICU outcomes
- Similar between the groups
Original publication
Erector Spinae Plane Block Versus Retrolaminar Block for Perioperative Analgesia in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized, Double-blinded, Noninferiority Clinical Trial. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. Published 22 August 2025. doi:10.
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