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Nerve Block for Severe Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department

Erector Spinae Plane Block for Patients With Intractable Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Over 18 years of age
* Abdominal pain that is intractable, defined as pain persisting despite administration of more than one dose of narcotic medication
* Nonsurgical abdominal pain, determined by either a benign abdominal exam not warranting a computed tomography (CT) scan, or a CT scan showing no identifiable surgical process
* Patient may present from the Emergency Department (ED) or may be an admitted inpatient

Exclusion Criteria:

* Under 18 years of age
* Pregnant, confirmed by a positive pregnancy test sent on all female patients of childbearing age presenting with abdominal pain
* Psychiatric patients
* Unable to verbalize a pain score, or impaired decision-making capacity (e.g., obtunded, intoxicated, lethargic, critically ill, intubated, or cognitively impaired)
* Any contraindication to nerve blocks, such as infection overlying the injection site, a bleeding disorder, or an allergy to anesthetic
* Surgical abdomen requiring serial abdominal exams

About the study

Currently, the standard treatment of nonsurgical abdominal pain in the Emergency Department (ED) includes narcotic pain medication. This can be addictive and contributes to the current opioid epidemic. Recent studies have shown that the Erector Spinae Plane Block (ESPB) is an alternative approach to achieving abdominal analgesia without the use of any systemic pain medications. It is a regional nerve block that can be used by emergency medicine physicians by injecting anesthetic into the erector spinae plane under ultrasound guidance, which effectively anesthetizes the abdomen. This procedure is within the scope of practice of Emergency Medicine residents, fellows, and attendings who have received training in Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) and who have also received specialized training on how to perform the ESPB under ultrasound guidance. Adult patients will be screened for intractable abdominal pain (persistent pain despite systemic pain medications) and eligibility to receive the nerve block (for example, patients cannot be pregnant, must be able to verbalize pain and satisfaction scores, and must have no contraindication to receiving the nerve block). In this study, the investigators will perform a small pilot study to determine how effective the ESPB is compared to systemic pain medications, and how easy or difficult it is to perform the ESPB in the Emergency Department as a means of controlling abdominal pain.

What is being tested

• Bupivacaine (erector spinae plane block) (drug)

Sponsor: University of California, Irvine · Participants: 30 · Started: Oct 11, 2024

Contact the study team

• Megan E Guy, MD · Phone: 805-295-9404

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07826936

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.