Objectives: Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is the management of choice in double level lumbar (L) spondylolisthesis (L3-L5) after ineffective conservative treatment. We evaluated bilateral ultrasound (US)-guided single shot erector spinae plane (ESP) block at the level of lumbar 3 (L3) vertebra with or without dexmedetomidine (Dex).~Methods: A prospective controlled randomized, double-blind study comparing two groups of patients; each group included 20 patients of double level spondylolisthesis (L3-L5) scheduled for (PLIF) under general anesthesia combined with bilateral US-guided ESP single shot block at (L3). Group I received 20 ml of 0. 25% bupivacaine plus one mL normal saline bilaterally. Group II received 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with supplementation of 1 mL containing 100µg dexmedetomidine bilaterally. Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) length of stay, the total dose of postoperative analgesics need, postoperative visual analogue score (VAS) at 1h, 6h, 12h, and 24 h after the operation and postoperative complications which related to block or opioids were recorded.~ESP block at combined with (Dex) is a safe, effective block with no complications. Addition of 100µg Dex to preoperative ESP block provided good postoperative opioid-sparing analgesia, facilitated the early emergence and shortened the length of stay in the PACU during (PLIF) for double level spondylolisthesis (L3-L5).
Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) is the management of choice in double level lumbar (L) spondylolisthesis (L3-L5) after ineffective conservative treatment. We evaluated bilateral ultrasound (US)-guided single shot erector spinae plane (ESP) block at the level of lumbar 3 (L3) vertebra with or without dexmedetomidine (Dex).