Research recognized with a Resident/Fellow Travel Award by ASRA Pain Medicine^®

A study from the University of California, San Diego found that adding a continuous erector spinae plane block (ESPB) to a single-injection nerve block did not further reduce pain or opioid use following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), a procedure to remove kidney stones.

The study has been recognized with a Resident/Fellow Travel Award in conjunction with the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine®) 51st Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting, being held April 16-18 in Phoenix, AZ.

In the trial, 50 adults undergoing PCNL received either an active continuous ESPB or a placebo infusion after surgery. Pain scores, opioid consumption, and other measures such as sleep disturbance and physical function were tracked for the first two days after surgery. Researchers found no significant differences between the groups in any of these outcomes.

All nerve block catheters were successfully placed, and no catheter dislodgements occurred. Some participants avoided opioid use entirely, and only one participant in each group required readmission for pain.

The study suggests that although single-injection ESPB is effective for managing post-PCNL pain, adding a continuous infusion may not provide additional benefits.

Primary author Adam Schaar, MD, will present “Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Blocks to Treat Pain Following PCNL: A Randomized, Triple-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Trial” on April 18, 2026, at 10:15 am during the session “High Yield Regional Anesthesia for Special Populations.” Additional authors on the study are Drs. John Finneran IV, Seth Bechis, Roger Sur, Manoj Monga, Kenneth Miller, Brenton Alexander, Baharin Abdullah, Michael Donohue, and Brian Ilfeld.