Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block versus thoracic epidural analgesia: Postoperative pain management after Nuss repair for pectus excavatum

Combined erector spinae plane block with surgical intercostal nerve cryoablation for Nuss procedure is associated with decreased opioid use and length of stay

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Pain management for patients undergoing the Nuss procedure for treatment of pectus excavatum can be challenging. In an effort to improve pain management, our institution added bilateral single injection erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks to surgeon placed intercostal nerve cryoablation. We aimed to assess the efficacy of this practice change.

METHODS

Retrospective clinical data from a single academic medical center were evaluated. Due to an institutional change in clinical management, we were able to perform a before and after study. Twenty patients undergoing Nuss procedure who received bilateral ultrasound-guided single-shot T6 level ESP blocks and intercostal nerve cryoablation were compared with a historical control cohort of 20 patients who underwent Nuss procedure with intercostal nerve cryoablation alone. The primary outcome variables included postoperative pain scores, total hospital opioid use, and hospital length of stay.

RESULTS

Median total hospital intravenous morphine milligram equivalents was lower for the ESP group than for the control group (0.60 (IQR 0.35-0.88) vs 1.15 mg/kg (IQR 0.74-1.68), p<0.01). There was no difference in postoperative pain scores between the two groups. Mean hospital length of stay was 2.45 (SD 0.69) days for the control group and 1.95 (SD 0.69) days for the ESP group (p=0.03). No adverse events related to block placement were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

In a single-center academic practice, the addition of bilateral single injection ESP blocks at T6 to surgeon performed cryoablation reduced opioid consumption without a change in subjectively reported pain scores. The results from this pilot study can provide effect size estimates to guide the design of future randomized trials.

Erector spinae plane blocks: A narrative update

The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is perhaps one of the most interesting of the tissue plane blocks described recently. There has been an exponential increase in the number of publications for both adults and children over the past 5 years. Single-shot, intermittent bolus, and continuous infusion techniques have been used effectively. Both the efficacy and safety of the procedure are widely accepted, but the exact mechanism by which the local anesthetic spreads from the tip of the transverse process to block the dorsal and ventral rami of the spinal nerves is controversial and needs clarification. Anatomical differences in children, particularly in neonates and infants, may explain the spread in this age group. In most pediatric studies, erector spinae plane block was opioid sparing, and noninferiority was observed when compared with other regional techniques.

Fascial plane blocks in children-Scientifically supported or not?

Since the introduction of Fascial Plane Blocks in 2007 there has been an enormous interest and application of Fascial Plane Blocks, evidenced by substantially more than 1000 PubMed items. Despite this gigantic number of publications, also including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses in children, there is still no clear-cut insight into how much of the purported effect is in fact due to the blockade of nerve structures and how much is merely adding the well-known analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the plasma levels of local anesthetics that are achieved with these techniques. Furthermore, Fascial Plane Blocks appear useful only if compared to conventional multi-modal analgesia (no block or placebo) and Fascial Plane Blocks lack the potency to provide surgical anesthesia on their own and appear only to be of value when used for minor-moderate surgery. Despite the huge literature, there has so far not emerged any clinical situations where Fascial Plane Blocks have definitively been shown to be the block of choice, being decisively more effective than other established regional blocks. Lastly, Fascial Plane Blocks may appear as virtually free of complications, but case reports are emerging that point to a real risk for causing local anesthetic systemic toxicity when using Fascial Plane Blocks. This text aims to synthesize the current knowledge base regarding the Fascial Plane Blocks that are relevant to use in the pediatric context. In summary, there does currently not exist any convincing scientific evidence for the continued support for the use of Fascial Plane Blocks in children, except for the rectus sheath block and possibly also the transmuscular quadratus lumborum block.

Benefits of the Erector Spinae Plane Block before Cryoanalgesia in Children Undergoing Surgery for Funnel Chest Deformity

Thoracic surgery causes significant pain despite standard multimodal analgesia. Intraoperative cryoanalgesia may be a solution. The onset of the clinical effect of cryoanalgesia can take 12-36 h. The addition of a regional anaesthesia before the cryoanalgesia procedure can enable analgesic protection for the patient during this period. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the benefits of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block prior to Nuss surgery. The 'control' group consisted of 10 teenagers who underwent cryoablation together with intravenous multimodal analgesia according to the standard protocol. The 'intervention' group included 26 teenage patients who additionally received an erector spinae plane block before operation. Pain relief (p = 0.015), opioid use (p = 0.009), independent physical activity and rehabilitation (p = 0.020) were faster in the intervention group. No features of local anaesthetic drug toxicity or complications of the ESP block were observed. The bilateral ESP block together with intraoperative intercostal nerve cryoablation performed prior to Nuss correction of funnel chest were more effective in terms of pain control.

Evaluation of Analgesic Practice Changes Following the Nuss Procedure in Pediatric Patients

INTRODUCTION

Pectus excavatum repair by the Nuss procedure results in severe postoperative pain. Regional blocks and intercostal nerve cryoablation (INC) have emerged as potential strategies to manage analgesia. This study compares pain-related outcomes following these perioperative interventions.

METHODS

We reviewed charts of patients <18 y who underwent the Nuss procedure at Duke Children's Hospital from July 2018 to June 2022. Patients were divided into three groups by analgesic strategy: no block, regional catheters, or INC, representing the chronologic change in our practice. The primary outcome was total and daily in-hospital opioid utilization measured by oral morphine equivalents (OMEs). Secondary outcomes included average daily pain scores, length of stay, opioid refills after discharge, and complications.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients were included and analyzed: no block (n = 6), regional catheters (n = 7), and INC (n = 8). INC-treated patients required significantly lower total postoperative, in-hospital OMEs (64 ± 47 [mean ± standard deviation]) than those with no block (270 ± 217, P = 0.04) or those with regional catheters (273 ± 176, P = 0.03). INC was associated with longer average operative times (161 ± 36 min) than no block (105 ± 21 min, P = 0.005) or regional catheters (90 ± 11 min, P < 0.001). INC-treated patients had shorter hospital length of stays (median 68 h) than those with regional catheters (median 74 h, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

INC was associated with longer operative times but decreased in-hospital OMEs when compared to bilateral regional block catheters and multimodal analgesia alone.

Continuous nerve block versus thoracic epidural analgesia for post-operative pain of pectus excavatum repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Surgery to repair pectus excavatum (PE) is often associated with severe postoperative pain, which can impact the length of hospital stay (LOS). While thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) has traditionally been used for pain management in PE, its placement can sometimes result in severe neurological complications. Recently, paravertebral block (PVB) and erector spinae plane block (ESPB) have been recommended for many other chest and abdominal surgeries. However, due to the more severe and prolonged pain associated with PE repair, it is still unclear whether continuous administration of these blocks is as effective as TEA. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate the equivalence of continuous PVB and ESPB to TEA.

Application of an ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spinae plane block after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum in children: a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching

Objective

To retrospectively analyze the effect of applying an ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spine plane block (ESPB) after the Nuss procedure for surgical repair of pectus excavatum (PE) in children.

Methods

The subjects of the study were patients with severe PE who received the Nuss procedure in our hospital between 1 January 2019 and 30 November 2021. According to different methods for postoperative pain management, the enrolled patients were divided into two groups, the ultrasound-guided ESPB group and the thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) group. The primary outcome of this study was analgesic drug dosage and the secondary outcome was numerical rating scales (NRSs) between the two groups.

Results

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic, preoperative clinical evaluation, or surgical characteristics (P > 0.05). The catheter duration in the TEA group was significantly shorter than that in the ESPB group (P < 0.05), while the hospitalization time in the ESPB group was significantly shorter than that in the TEA group (P < 0.05). In terms of oral morphine equivalent comparison, the required dose of the TEA group was lower than that of the ESPB group on the 1st and 2nd day after the operation (P < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference between the two groups on the 3rd and 4th day after the operation (P > 0.05). The number of patients with an S-NRS ≥ 7 and D-NRS ≥ 7 in the TEA group at day 1 was lower than that in the ESPB group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups at other time points (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

An ultrasound-guided ESPB used in Nuss surgery for children with funnel chest can provide good analgesia for surgery and shorten the postoperative rehabilitation and hospitalization time of patients. It is a safe and effective alternative to TEA.

Retrospective study comparing outcomes of multimodal epidural and erector spinae catheter pain protocols after pectus surgery

INTRODUCTION

There are no optimal postoperative analgesia regimens for Nuss procedures. We compared the effectiveness of thoracic epidurals (EPI) and novel ambulatory erector spinae plane (ESP) catheters as part of multimodal pain protocols after Nuss surgery.

METHODS

Data on demographics, comorbidities, perioperative details, length of stay (LOS), in hospital and post discharge pain/opioid use, side effects, and emergency department (ED) visits were collected retrospectively in children who underwent Nuss repair with EPI (N = 114) and ESP protocols (N = 97). Association of the group with length of stay (LOS), in hospital opioid use (intravenous morphine equivalents (MEq)/kg over postoperative day (POD) 0-2), and oral opioid use beyond POD7 was analyzed using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with propensity scores, followed by multivariable regression.

RESULTS

Groups had similar demographics. Compared to EPI, ESP had longer block time and higher rate of ketamine and dexmedetomidine use. LOS for ESP was 2 days IQR (2, 2) compared to 3 days IQR (3, 4) for EPI (p < 0.01). Compared to EPI, ESP group had higher opioid use (in MEq/kg) intraoperatively (0.32 (IQR 0.27, 0.36) vs. 0.28 (0.24, 0.32); p < 0.01) but lower opioid use on POD 0 (0.09 (IQR 0.04, 0.17) vs. 0.11 (0.08, 0.17); p = 0.03) and POD2 (0.00 (IQR 0.00, 0.00) vs. 0.04 (0.00, 0.06) ; p < 0.01). ESP group also had lower total in hospital opioid use (0.57 (IQR 0.42, 0.73) vs.0.82 (0.71, 0.91); p < 0.01), and shorter duration of post discharge opioid use (6 days (IQR 5,8) vs. 9 days (IQR 7,12) (p < 0.01). After IPTW adjustment, ESP continued to be associated with shorter LOS (difference -1.20, 95% CI: -1.38, -1.01, p < 0.01) and decreased odds for opioid use beyond POD7 (OR 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.24); p < 0.01). However, total in hospital opioid use in MEq/kg (POD0-2) was now similar between groups (difference -0.02 (95% CI: -0.09, -0.04); p = 0.50). The EPI group had higher incidence of emesis (29% v 4%, p < 0.01), while ESP had higher catheter malfunction rates (23% v 0%; p < 0.01) but both groups had comparable ED visits/readmissions.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Compared to EPI, multimodal ambulatory ESP protocol decreased LOS and postoperative opioid use, with comparable ED visits/readmissions. Disadvantages included higher postoperative pain scores, longer block times and higher catheter leakage/malfunction.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Bilateral Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block for Pectus Excavatum Surgery: A Retrospective Propensity-Score Study

OBJECTIVE

Pectus excavatum (PE) repair is burdened by severe postoperative pain. This retrospective study aimed to determine whether the analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block (ESPB) plus standard intravenous analgesia (SIVA) might be superior to SIVA alone in pain control after PE surgical repair via Ravitch or Nuss technique.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

At a university hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

All participants were scheduled for surgical repair of PE.

INTERVENTIONS

From January 2017 to December 2019, all patients who received ESPB plus SIVA or SIVA alone were investigated retrospectively. A 2:1 propensity-score matching analysis considering preoperative variables was used to compare analgesia efficacy in 2 groups. All patients received a 24-hour continuous infusion of tramadol, 0.1 mg/kg/h, and ketorolac, 0.05 mg/kg/h, via elastomeric pump, and morphine, 2 mg, intravenously as a rescue drug. The ESPB group received preoperative bilateral ESPB block. Postoperative pain, reported using a numerical rating scale at 1, 12, 24, and 48 hours after surgery; the number of required rescue doses; total postoperative morphine milligram equivalents consumption; and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomit were analyzed.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 105 patients were identified for analysis. Propensity-score matching resulted in 38 patients in the SIVA group and 19 patients in the ESPB group. Postoperative pain, the number of rescue doses, and postoperative nausea and vomit incidences were lower in the ESPB group (p < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Erector spinae plane block may be an effective option for pain management after surgical repair of PE as part of a multimodal approach. This study showed good perioperative analgesia, opioid sparing, and reduced opioid-related adverse effects.

Pain management for the Nuss procedure: comparison between erector spinae plane block, thoracic epidural, and control

Objective

Pectus excavatum is a congenital deformity characterized by a caved-in chest wall. Repair requires surgery. The less invasive Nuss procedure is very successful, but postoperative pain management is challenging and evolving. New pain management techniques to reduce opioid reliance include the erector spinae plane (ESP) block. We retrospectively examined opioid consumption after Nuss procedure comparing three pain management techniques: ESP block, thoracic epidural (TE), and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA).

Methods

This retrospective cohort study compared pain management outcomes of three patient groups. Seventy-eight subjects aged 10–18 years underwent Nuss procedure at our institution between January 2014 and January 2020. The primary outcome measure was opioid consumption measured in morphine milligram equivalents. Secondary measures included pain ratings and length of stay (LOS). Pain was quantified using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Analysis of variance was performed on all outcome measures.

Results

Average cumulative opioid use was significantly lower in the ESP block (67 mg) than the TE (117 mg) (p=0.0002) or the PCA group (172 mg) (p=0.0002). The ESP block and PCA groups both had a significantly shorter average LOS (3.3 and 3.7 days, respectively) than the TE group (4.7 days). ESP block performed best for reducing opioid consumption and LOS. Reduced opioid consumption is key for limiting side effects. This study supports use of ESP block as a superior choice when choosing among the three postoperative pain management options that were evaluated.

Conclusion

ESP resulted in reduced opioid consumption postoperatively and shorter LOS than TE or PCA for patients undergoing the Nuss procedure for surgical repair of pectus excavatum.

Ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block improve opioid-sparing perioperative analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung lesion resection: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pediatric patients often experience severe pain after thoracic surgery, especially in the early postoperative period. Recently, the focus has been on regional analgesia with the introduction of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane blocks. We assumed that preoperative erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in children undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) would reduce the consumption of perioperative opioids.

METHODS

This randomized, double-blind study enrolled 60 children aged 1-3 years who underwent thoracoscopic lung lesion resection. The patients were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into two groups. The general anesthesia (GA) group received GA alone, and the GA + ESPB group received ESPB. The consumptions of remifentanil and sufentanil were recorded, and the children's face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) scores were assessed after awakening. The time to first rescue analgesia, length of hospital stay, parental satisfaction and adverse events were also recorded.

RESULTS

The consumptions of remifentanil and sufentanil in the GA + ESPB group were significantly lower than those in the GA group, mean difference [95% confidence interval (CI)]: -26.57 (-31.98 to -21.17) and -0.21 (-0.27 to -0.17), respectively, (both P<0.001); while the time to first rescue analgesia and parental satisfaction scores were significantly longer and higher, respectively, in the GA + ESPB group than those in the GA group, mean difference (95% CI): 2.37 (1.77 to 2.97) and 2.47 (1.79 to 3.15), respectively, (both P<0.001). The FLACC scores in the GA + ESPB group were significantly lower than those in the GA group 1 to 24 hours postoperatively (P=0.023 at 1 h, and P<0.001 at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 18 h, 24 h), but not at immediate admission to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) (P=0.189 at 0 h). The GA + ESPB group had significantly lower incidence rates of postoperative nausea and vomiting (P=0.037 and P=0.020).

CONCLUSIONS

In pediatric Thoracoscopic surgery, the results of this study confirm our hypothesis that ESPB decreases the consumptions of intraoperative remifentanil and postoperative sufentanil in 24 hours and demonstrates better postoperative analgesia compared with a control group.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056166.

Intercostal nerve cryoanalgesia in the treatment of pain in patients operated on by the modified Nuss method with the BackOnFeet application-a new strategy to improve outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The surgical Nuss correction of the funnel chest deformity is a painful procedure without an established consensus of pain relief methods. High doses and long duration of opioids requirements impedes the ERAS protocol introduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative intercostal nerve cryolysis in terms of pain management in relation to the routinely used multimodal analgesia in Poland. We also assessed the impact of using the proprietary "BackOnFeet" application on the quality of life of patients after surgery in relation to the ERAS protocol.

METHODS

The prospective, single-centre, non-randomised, before-after pilot study was conducted. Inclusion criteria were: funnel-shaped chest deformity, age range 11-18 years, first chest wall operation, agreement for the cryolysis and regional analgesia, no history of chronic painkillers use. The results of the "control group" (multimodal analgesia with regional analgesia commonly performed in Poland) were assessed. The interdisciplinary perioperative protocol with the "BackOnFeet" application and intraoperative intercostal nerve cryoanalgesia were introduced to the "intervention group".

RESULTS

Eighteen children were treated with standard protocol typical for Polish management and matched to eighteen patients who received cryoanalgesia and the "BackOnFeet" application access "intervention group". We noticed lower NRS points in first 24 h (p = 0.0048), shortening of time of opioid use (p = 0.0002), hospitalisation time (p = 0,01), improved quality of postoperative rehabilitation (p < 0.0001) and quality of life (p < 0.0001) among the "intervention group".

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative intercostal nerves cryolysis performed during the minimally invasive Nuss correction of funnel deformation in combination with bilateral is more effective in terms of acute pain management in relation to the routinely used multimodal analgesia in Poland, allowing for the shortening of time of opioid use, hospitalisation time, improved quality of postoperative rehabilitation and enabled ERAS protocol introduction. The use of the proprietary "BackOnFeet" application has a positive effect on the quality of life of patients after surgery.