A comparative study on analgesic and non-analgesic outcomes of inter pleural analgesia compared to thoracic epidural analgesia in open pancreatico-duodenectomy

Pain management after thoracotomy with dexamethasone and bupivacaine through a peripleural cather: a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Thoracotomy procedures can result in significant pain and cause nausea/vomiting. Glucocorticoids have anti-emetic and analgesic effects due to their anti-inflammatory and nerve-blocking properties. This study investigates the additive effect of local dexamethasone with bupivacaine as sole analgesic medication through a peripleural catheter after thoracotomy.

METHOD

The study was conducted as a randomized control trial on 82 patients. Participants were allocated to receive either 2.5 mg/kg of bupivacaine plus 0.2 mg/kg of dexamethasone or 2.5 mg/kg of bupivacaine plus the same amount of normal saline as placebo through a 6 French peripleural catheter implemented above the parietal pleura and beneath the musculoskeletal structure of the chest wall. The primary outcome was the severity of pain 24 h after the operation in the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of nausea/vomiting, opioid consumption for pain control, and incidence of any adverse effects.

RESULTS

A total of 50 participants were randomized to each group, and the baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Median of VAS score (6 (3-8) vs. 8 (6-9), p < 0.001), postoperative opioid consumption (9 (36%) vs. 17 (68%) patients, p=0.024), and median length of hospital stay (4 (3-8) vs. 6 (3-12) days, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the dexamethasone group. However, postoperative nausea/vomiting (p=0.26 for nausea and p=0.71 for vomiting) and surgical site infection (p = 0.55) were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

In thoracotomy patients, administering local dexamethasone + bupivacaine through a peripleural catheter can reduce postoperative pain, analgesic consumption, and length of hospital stay.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20220309054226N1, registration date: 3/21/2022.

Evaluating analgesia strategies in patients who have undergone oesophagectomy-a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Optimal pain control following esophagectomy remains a topic of contention. The aim was to perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the analgesia strategies post-esophagectomy. A NMA was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-NMA guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using Shiny and R. Fourteen RCTs which included 565 patients and assessed nine analgesia techniques were included. Relative to systemic opioids, thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) significantly reduced static pain scores at 24 hours post-operatively (mean difference (MD): -13.73, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -27.01-0.45) (n = 424, 12 RCTs). Intrapleural analgesia (IPA) demonstrated the best efficacy for static (MD: -36.2, 95% CI: -61.44-10.96) (n = 569, 15 RCTs) and dynamic (MD: -42.90, 95% CI: -68.42-17.38) (n = 444, 11 RCTs) pain scores at 48 hours. TEA also significantly reduced static (MD: -13.05, 95% CI: -22.74-3.36) and dynamic (MD: -18.08, 95% CI: -31.70-4.40) pain scores at 48 hours post-operatively, as well as reducing opioid consumption at 24 hours (MD: -33.20, 95% CI: -60.57-5.83) and 48 hours (MD: -42.66, 95% CI: -59.45-25.88). Moreover, TEA significantly shortened intensive care unit (ICU) stays (MD: -5.00, 95% CI: -6.82-3.18) and time to extubation (MD: -4.40, 95% CI: -5.91-2.89) while increased post-operative forced vital capacity (MD: 9.89, 95% CI: 0.91-18.87) and forced expiratory volume (MD: 13.87, 95% CI: 0.87-26.87). TEA provides optimal pain control and improved post-operative respiratory function in patients post-esophagectomy, reducing ICU stays, one of the benchmarks of improved post-operative recovery. IPA demonstrates promising results for potential implementation in the future following esophagectomy.