{
  "abstract": "Background and Aims The erector spinae plane (ESP) block has gained attention as a regional anesthesia technique for pain management in vertebral surgeries. Despite promising results, evidence regarding its efficacy and safety remains inconsistent. This umbrella review synthesizes data from systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of the ESP block in reducing postoperative opioid consumption, pain, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).Methods A systematic search was conducted in CENTRAL, EMBASE, PubMed Central, and Scopus from 2016 to 2025. We included SRs and meta-analyses that investigated the use of ESP block in vertebral surgeries. Primary outcomes were opioid consumption at 24 postoperative hours (measured as milligram morphine equivalents, MME), pain scores at 12 and 24 hours, PONV incidence, and the need for additional analgesics. Quality assessment was performed using the AMSTAR 2 tool.Results Thirteen SRs were included. The ESP block significantly reduced opioid consumption at 24 postoperative hours (mean difference -8.70 to -18.69), although high heterogeneity was observed. Pain reduction at 12 and 24 hours was statistically significant but clinically modest, with most SRs reporting reductions of less than one point. The ESP block also significantly reduced PONV and additional analgesic use. However, most SRs were rated as critically low quality due to inadequate pre-registration and funding reporting.Abstract OP50 Figure 1PRISMA flowchartAbstract OP50 Figure 2Upset diagram showing systematic reviews overlap in included studiesAbstract OP50 Figure 3Modified forest plot showing the calculated effect of ESP on MME in the included SRs. MD: mean difference, SMD: standardized mean differenceConclusions The ESP block demonstrates potential as a multimodal analgesia component in vertebral surgeries, reducing opioid consumption, pain intensity, and PONV. However, high heterogeneity and low methodological quality highlight the need for further research.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Alessandro De Cassai"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Maria Bisi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Marco Nardelli"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Irene Paiusco"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Serafino Talarico"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Valentina Fincati"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Annalisa Boscolo"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dimed – Dipartimento di Medicina, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "Paolo Navalesi"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OP50 Erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia in vertebral surgery: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses",
  "uid": "7e5df447-f7e4-5f3a-8c8f-685a06f42897"
}