The ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (ESP) block is an emerging fascial plane block, first described in 2016 for treating thoracic neuropathic pain. Since its introduction, it has been incorporated into multiple surgical procedures and has demonstrated proven benefits such as postoperative analgesia and reduction in opioid consumption. Being a superficial plane block, it avoids complications such as pneumothorax and hematoma, making it a safe mode of analgesia. We report a rare case of hematoma formation following ESP block in a patient who underwent mitral valve repair under cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to investigate the relations among effective atomic number (Zeff), density, and area of paraspinal muscles, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), and acute vertebral fractures (VF) by using spectral base images (SBIs) and routine CT images.
METHODS: A total of 223 patients (52 men and 171 women) with acute lumber VF and 776 subjects (286 men and 390 women) without VF of at least 60 years were enrolled and underwent dual-layer detector CT scans. We quantified the cross-sectional area, density (paraSMD), and Zeff of paraspinal muscles by CT images and SBIs and measured vBMD of the lumbar spine by quantitative CT.
RESULTS: Higher vBMD was associated with lower VF risk in both sexes (adjusted OR, 0.33 and 0.43). After adjusting for age and body mass index, the associations of paraSMD with VF were not significant in men, and in women the association was borderline significant (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-1.00). However, higher Zeff of paraspinal muscles was associated with lower VF risk in men (adjusted OR, 0.59; 0.36-0.96) but not in women. The associations of all muscle indexes with VF were not significant after further adjusting for vBMD.
CONCLUSIONS: A higher Zeff of paraspinal muscles is associated with lower VF risk in older men but not in older women. The density, area, and Zeff of paraspinal muscles were not vBMD independent risk factors for acute VF.
CONCLUSIONS: The effective atomic number of paraspinal muscles might be a potential marker for VF risk prediction.

Inability to remain motionless owing to pain during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may increase the need for sedation and analgesia. Here, we present a case where ultrasound-guided sacral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) was used successfully for pain management during an MRI in a patient suffering from severe sacral pain. Sacral ESPB was performed with a total of 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine at the level of the intermediate sacral crest. The patient achieved sensory block in the L5-S4 dermatomes without motor block, resulting in complete pain relief. This case report highlights the feasibility of ultrasound-guided sacral ESPB as a potential pain management technique.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (ESP) block and compare with the conventional physical therapy in chronic low back pain (LBP).
METHODS: This prospective case-controlled study included patients with chronic LBP. Their clinical and demographic data were obtained, and they were divided into two groups for conventional physical therapy and ESP blocks. Prior to treatment, on the first day, the second week, and the third month, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score were evaluated.
RESULTS: The study included 43 patients, 21 in the ESP block group and 22 in the conventional physical therapy group. The VAS in movement was higher in the ESP block group at baseline (p = 0.047). On the first day after the treatments, the ESP block group showed lower resting (p < 0.001) and movement (p = 0.001) VAS values than the conventional physical therapy group. At the end of 3 months, both groups had improved VAS and ODI scores (all p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: US-guided ESP block might be considered a successful, safe, and technically simple alternative treatment in patients with chronic LBP to control pain and reduce the cost of physical therapy and lost workdays.

It remains unclear whether paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration in low back pain (LBP) is i) solely intramuscular, ii) is lying outside the epimysium between the muscle and fascial plane (epimuscular) or iii) or combination of both, as imaging studies often use different segmentation protocols that are not thoroughly described. Epimuscular fat possibly disturbs force generation of paraspinal muscles, but is seldomly explored. This project aimed to 1) compare epimuscular fat in participants with and without chronic LBP, and 2) determine whether epimuscular fat is different across lumbar spinal levels and associated with BMI, age, sex and LBP status, duration or intensity. Fat and water lumbosacral MRIs of 50 chronic LBP participants and 41 healthy controls were used. The presence and extent of epimuscular fat for the paraspinal muscle group (erector spinae and multifidus) was assessed using a qualitative score (0-5 scale; 0 = no epimuscular fat and 5 = epimuscular fat present along the entire muscle) and quantitative manual segmentation method. Chi-squared tests evaluated associations between qualitative epimuscular fat ratings and LBP status at each lumbar level. Bivariate and partial spearman\'s rho correlation assessed relationships between quantitative and qualitative epimuscular fat with participants\' characteristics. Epimuscular fat was more frequent at the L4-L5 (X2 = 13.781, p = 0.017) and L5-S1 level (X2 = 27.825, p < 0.001) in participants with LBP compared to controls, which was not found for the higher lumbar levels. The total qualitative score (combined from all levels) showed a significant positive correlation with BMI, age, sex (female) and LBP status (r = 0.23-0.55; p < 0.05). Similarly, the total area of epimuscular fat (quantitative measure) was significantly correlated with BMI, age and LBP status (r = 0.26-0.57; p < 0.05). No correlations were found between epimuscular fat and LBP duration or intensity. Paraspinal muscle epimuscular fat is more common in chronic LBP patients. The functional implications of epimuscular fat should be further explored.

UNASSIGNED: Ossified intramuscular hematomas (OIH) are an exceptionally rare condition that may be mistaken for alternative calcified intramuscular pathologies, such as myositis ossificans. Exceedingly few cases of OIHs have been reported to date, with no cases yet to be reported in the paraspinal muscles.
UNASSIGNED: Here, we report on a patient who presented with a chronic back pain and swelling in the setting of trauma 15 years prior. Radiographic workup revealed a calcified mass in the erector spinae muscles. The lesion was surgically excised, and histologic examination confirmed the presence of an OIH. The patient did well postoperatively.
UNASSIGNED: An OIH is a poorly understood pathology. Although benign, these lesions can cause significant morbidity, and surgical excision is a reasonable and safe treatment option. OIHs may be distinguished from related calcified intramuscular pathologies based on key clinical features and distinct histopathology. Clinically, they are characterized by a history of remote trauma and, on histopathology, by compact, mature bone in the setting of an old, organizing hematoma. Despite this, similarities with other calcified intramuscular pathologies persist, and further study is warranted to better understand and classify these lesions.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) with clinical lumbar instability (CLI) is considered a subgroup of back pain. Poor core stability function and/or lack of motor controls are thought to play a role in inappropriate inter-segmental movements and pain. There is no study investigating the changes in the lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM) morphology and motor control in this subgroup of patients.
OBJECTIVE: To assess motor control components and morphological changes of LMM in the patients suffering from chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) with CLI.
METHODS: Observational case-control study.
METHODS: Thirty-two patients suffering from (CNSLBP) with CLI and 32 healthy individuals were included. The muscle force element of lumbar motor control was assessed by using (the active straight-leg raise test, leg lowering test, and Trendelenburg test). Ultrasonography was used to assess changes in the LMM morphology.
RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in motor control (p = 0.0001), an increase in LMM fatty infiltration (p = 0.002), and a decrease in the thickness of LMM in patients suffering from CNSLBP during contraction (p = 0.006), during rest (p = 0.018). The cross-section area of the LMM showed no statistically significant differences during rest on the right and left sides (p = 0.827, 0.220 respectively) and contraction (p = 0.160, 0.278 respectively) between patients and healthy subjects.
CONCLUSIONS: Motor control and the morphology of LMM in patients with CNSLBP with CLI may provide insight into the mechanisms of underlying pain and their effect on muscle function and structure.

UNASSIGNED: Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a regional anesthesia technique that blocks both somatic and visceral nerve fibers. Despite its high analgesic potential, its mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. The ultrasound-guided ESP block, which can be easily performed, makes important contributions to the control of intraoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The follow-up of pain in the intraoperative period is usually done by evaluating the changes in hemodynamic parameters. Due to physiological differences in pediatric patients, it is more difficult to do this with only hemodynamic changes than in adult patients. Aim: The NOL® (Nociception Level) monitor calculates the nociception/pain score by evaluating many parameters through a proprietary algorithm. Our primary aim was to demonstrate the effectiveness of ESP block with an advanced pain monitor in this patient group; our secondary aim was to investigate the necessity of pain monitors in the pediatric patient group.
UNASSIGNED: In this case series, we applied intraoperative NOL® monitoring in addition to standard monitoring (ECG, SpO2, heart rate, EtCO2) in pediatric patients (16 cases) who were scheduled for abdominal surgery and underwent ESP block.
UNASSIGNED: Considering the hemodynamic data, NOL values, postoperative pain scores, side effects, and complications, it was concluded that ESP block can be used safely in this patient group. Although the hemodynamic data and the NOL® index were compatible with each other after a nociceptive stimulus, the NOL index was less affected by other variables and gave the clinician clearer information about pain.

Muscle structural studies on non-specific low back pain in young female nurses are rare. This study aimed to investigate the changes of lumbar extensor and flexor muscle cross-sectional area and fatty infiltration in young female nurses with chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain by lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging to speculate on the possible pathogenesis.
The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 58 female nurses with chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain and 60 healthy female controls were analyzed retrospectively. The lumbar extensor and flexor muscle cross-sectional area/intervertebral disc cross-sectional area ratio, as well as magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity of lumbar extensor (erector spinae; multifidus) and flexor muscles (psoas muscle) were measured, calculated and compared between nurses and healthy controls by independent samples t-test. In addition, each mean MRI signal intensity of lumbar extensor or flexor muscles in nurses at different anatomical segments from lumbar vertebrae 2 (L2)-L3 to L5-sacral vertebrae 1 (S1) was also compared, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) analyzed the mean MRI signal intensity between muscles in nurses with multiple comparisons.
There was no significant difference in lumbar extensor and flexor muscle cross-sectional area/intervertebral disc cross-sectional area ratio between nurses with chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain and healthy controls, p > 0.01. The magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity in lumbar extensor and flexor muscle was significantly higher in nurses with chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain than in healthy controls, p < 0.01. The MRI signal intensity of lumbar extensor muscle at the lower lumbar segments was higher than at the upper ones. The magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity of the extensor muscle (erector spinae; multifidus) was significantly higher than that of the flexor muscle (psoas muscle), p < 0.01.
This study showed that young nurses with chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain have lumbar extensor and flexor muscle fatty infiltration without muscle atrophy. We hypothesized that muscle fatty infiltration may occur prior to muscle atrophy. Therefore, the high fatty infiltration of the lumbar extensor and flexor muscle may be a cause or a result of chronic bilateral non-specific low back pain in young nurses.

The role of neuromodulation in fascial plane blocks is unknown. This case report presents a complex patient who underwent shoulder arthroplasty with a high thoracic-erector spinae plane (HT-ESP) catheter that provided electrical and chemical neuromodulation, highlighting the potential of electrical stimulation in the identification of and therapy at the fascial plane level.