New nerve block could cut opioid use after back surgery

NCT ID NCT07403734

Symptom relief Sponsor: Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at whether a specific nerve block (called an erector spinae plane block) can improve pain control after surgery for a slipped disc in the lower back. Researchers will track pain scores, opioid use, how soon patients can walk, and how long they stay in the hospital. The goal is to see if this block helps patients recover faster with fewer side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: erector spinae plane block (local anesthetic injection)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a safer, opioid-sparing way to manage pain after back surgery, helping patients move sooner and go home earlier.
What could go wrong: This is a small observational study, not a randomized trial, so results may be less reliable. The block may not work for everyone, and there is always a small risk of side effects like bleeding or infection.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

78 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jul 2024

Expected to finish

Mar 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a government body.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Adult patients aged 18-70 years with single-level lumbar disc herniation scheduled for surgical repair at Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery. Participants must be ASA I-III, able to provide informed consent, and capable of cooperating with postoperative assessments. Patients with previous lumbar surgery, chronic pain, contraindications to regional anesthesia, or significant comorbidities will be excluded.

Ages

18 to 70 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female patients * Age 18-70 years * Patients scheduled to undergo single-level lumbar disc herniation repair surgery * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification I, II, or III * Willing to participate in the study (voluntary participation) * Fully oriented and able to cooperate with study procedures Exclusion Criteria: * ASA physical status classification \> III * Patients who refuse to participate in the study * Age \< 18 years or \> 70 years * Active infection at the site of block procedure * Previous lumbar disc herniation surgery * Chronic pain condition with continuous analgesic use * Coagulopathy or bleeding disorders * Patients unable to cooperate with postoperative pain assessments * Known allergy to local anesthetic agents * Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 35 kg/m² * Renal insufficiency * Hepatic insufficiency

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Intervertebral Disc Displacement lumbar disk disease lumbar disk herniation, susceptibility to Pain, Postoperative Patient Satisfaction

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ESPB Hospital stay time Lumbar disc herniation Opioid consumption, postoperative Patient satisfaction Plane blocks Postoperative pain

New nerve block could cut opioid use after back surgery

What the study statuses mean