Evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of erector spinae plane block during coronary artery bypass surgery: a randomized clinical trial

The search for a method of perioperative pain control after coronary bypass surgery is relevant both from the point of view of safety and effectiveness of the methods used.Aim: To evaluate the hemodynamic changes and effectiveness of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) for off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.Methodology and research methods. The prospective randomized single-center study included 45 patients equally distributed according to the applied methods of perioperative analgesia into 3 groups: general anesthesia with epidural anesthesia (GA + EA group, n = 15), general anesthesia with ESPB (GA + ESPB group, n = 15) and general anesthesia without any regional anesthesia techniques (GA group, n = 15). Assessment of hemodynamics and severity of pain syndrome was performed during the first postoperative day.Results. The intraoperative dose of fentanyl was 0.4 (0.4-0.5) mg in the GA + EA group, and 0.4 (0.3-0.4) mg in the GA + ESPB group that is significantly less than in the GA group - 1.1 (1.0-1.1) mg (p