A 19-year-old female (50 kg; 160 cm) was admitted in the palliative care unit of our department with complaints of severe burning and stretching pain in the right flank region. Her pain scores were 10/10 on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), where 0 means no pain and 10 means worst possible pain. The patient was a postoperative case of desmoid tumor for which resection was done 2 years back []. Skin on the right side flank region develops pain, thickness, and tenderness from the past 6 months. The patient received medical treatment (morphine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [ibuprofen and paracetamol], and gabapentin), but the pain did not improve. Hence, we decided to perform lumbar ESP block.\nUnder all aseptic precautions, a linear ultrasound probe was placed longitudinally at the level of transverse process of L2. The skin was infiltrated with 2 ml of 1% lignocaine. The 10-cm Stimuplex needle (Stimuplex® A, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Germany) was inserted by the in-plane approach to touch the surface of transverse process of L2 []. A total of 20 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine and 40 mg triamcinolone was injected into the target plane between the erector spinae muscles and the transverse process. The patient had adequate pain relief (3/10 on NRS) 10 min after the block and had extensive sensory blockade from dermatome T10 to L5. NRS was noted for 24 h after the procedure []. The patient was discharged with oral medicines tapered. The patient was still pain-free without consumption of any oral analgesics at follow-up after 8 weeks.
A 42-year-old male (45 kg; 155 cm) with right Pancoast tumor severe pain (7/10 on NRS) from 5 months in dermatome distribution from C5 to T3, incompletely relieved on medical treatment. Right ESP block was given at T2 level in the sitting position. Following administration of 20 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine and 40 mg triamcinolone, pain was relieved in few minutes (1/10 on NRS) with sensory blockade from C3 to T5 on the right side. NRS score was noted for 24 h []. The patient was discharged with oral medications tapered. The patient was still pain-free without consumption of any other oral analgesics at the follow-up after 2 months.