Continuous Erector Spinae Block Versus Thoracic Epidural Analgesia for the Prevention of Chronic Pain Following Thoracotomy: a Retrospective Study

June 24, 2026 updated by: sara dichtwald, Meir Medical Center
Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) is a prevalent complication that significantly impacts patients' quality of life, with reported incidence ranging from 25% to 90%. This study evaluated the effectiveness of continuous erector spinae plane (ESP) block compared to thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA), the current gold standard, in preventing PTPS. Our goal was to compare the incidence of PTPS between patients who received ESP block and those who underwent TEA. Additional goals included assessing postoperative pain levels, analgesic consumption, and complications related to the anesthesia techniques.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

34

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Eligible subjects are adult patients who presented for elective thoracic surgery under general anesthesia and underwent TEA or ESP.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ages 18-65 years 2. Presenting for elective thoracic surgery under general anesthesia. 3. Undergoing either ESP or TEA prior to surgery.

-

Exclusion Criteria:Patients were excluded if they met any of the following criteria:

1. Any CNS and/or psychiatric disease. 2. Patients who are unable to complete the pain survey for any reason. 3. Patients who had baseline chronic pain around the surgical incision.

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
ESP block
Patients who recieved ESP block for thoracic surgery
Procedure: ESP block
Performance of ESP block for pain relief after thoracic surgery
Thoracic epidural
Patients who recieved thoracic epidural for thoracic surgery
Procedure: Thoracic epidural
Performance of thoracic epidural for pain relief after thoracic surgery

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of post thoracotomy pain syndrome
Time Frame: 3 months post operatively
Incidence of post thoracotomy pain syndrome 3 months post operatively
3 months post operatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Meir Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 12, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 30, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 24, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0143-23-MMC

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Thoracic Surgery

Clinical Trials on ESP block

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Cote d'Ivoire

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe