Papers of the Week

Polytrauma victims are usually in severe pain with difficulty in breathing. There are limited regional analgesia options that cover the shoulder region as well as the rib and other associated fractures. The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a versatile block which has established a role in the management of rib fracture pain and has emerging indications for managing pain in the shoulder and upper humerus regions. We examined the efficacy of ultrasound guided ESPB at the T2 level in two polytrauma patients with unilateral scapular, humerus, and rib fractures undergoing surgery in the shoulder region. It provided excellent postoperative analgesia and helped to alleviate pain of associated rib and other fractures, thereby facilitating early postoperative recovery and rehabilitation.