New anesthesia method may cut opioid use after back surgery
NCT ID NCT06528288
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a specific injection technique called erector spinae plane block (ESPB) reduces pain and opioid use after lumbar spinal fusion better than standard subcutaneous anesthesia. Researchers will enroll 66 adults scheduled for one- or two-level lumbar fusion. Participants will receive either ESPB or subcutaneous anesthesia, and their pain, disability, and opioid use will be tracked for two weeks after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- local anesthesia (injected via erector spinae plane block or subcutaneously)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a better way to manage pain after spinal fusion surgery, potentially reducing reliance on opioids.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 66 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The difference between the two methods might be small or not clinically meaningful.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Medical Center
RECRUITINGWorcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
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