Post-thoracotomy analgesia

Association of thoracic epidural analgesia and hospital length of stay for patients undergoing thoracotomy: a retrospective cohort analysis

INTRODUCTION

Regional anesthesia has been shown to be efficacious for analgesia in patients who underwent thoracotomies. The objective of this study was to analyze the association of epidurals and peripheral regional anesthesia with time to hospital discharge for these patients.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program dataset from 2014 to 2020. Propensity-matched cohorts were assembled based on use of regional anesthesia, peripheral regional anesthesia, or epidural. Fine-Gray competing risk regressions were used to explore the association between regional anesthesia use and rate of discharge. The subdistribution hazard ratio (HR) represented relative discharge rates, and in-hospital death was a competing event. A sensitivity analysis was subsequently performed in which patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥4 were removed.

RESULTS

There were 4350 patients included in this analysis, in which 472 (10.8%) received a peripheral regional anesthesia nerve block and 565 (13.0%) received thoracic epidural analgesia. The subdistribution HR for rate of discharge in the epidural versus non-epidural cohort was 1.09 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.18), thus epidurals were associated with an increased rate of discharge over time. However, this benefit was no longer apparent with the sensitivity analysis. The subdistribution HR for rate of discharge in the peripheral regional anesthesia versus no regional anesthesia cohort was 1.26 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.39), thus peripheral regional anesthesia was associated with an increased rate of discharge over time. This benefit remained even with the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Thoracic epidural use when compared with no regional anesthesia was associated with decreased length of stay following thoracotomy in our primary analysis. The difference was no longer apparent with the sensitivity analysis. Peripheral regional anesthesia was associated with decreased length of stay even after sensitivity analysis.

Modified pericostal suture technique to reduce postoperative pain and provide optimum anatomic restoration after conversion of minimally invasive thoracic surgery to thoracotomy

Minimally invasive thoracic techniques often need to be converted to open thoracotomy. Thoracotomy is associated with severe postoperative pain in 50% of the patients, and this situation can be maintained for a prolonged period. Many efforts have been made to avoid this complication. We propose an easy and fast thoracotomy closure technique to avoid nerve entrapment at the time of chest closure suitable for cases of conversion to thoracotomy after a minimally invasive attempt. The proposed method effectively avoids interference with the intercostal nerve, which remains intact and restores the anatomy of the intercostal space. Efforts to decrease postoperative pain are vital. Thoracic surgeons are the principal health professionals able to deal with operative factors and postoperative pain management. We believe that the use of this easy and fast technique can facilitate excellent anatomic repositioning of the ribs alongside nerve sparing.

The Effect of Epidural Infusion of Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Analgesia After Thoracotomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

The unique analgesic properties of dexmedetomidine have led anesthesiologists to use it as an alternative to relieve pain after major surgeries.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous injection of thoracic epidural dexmedetomidine on analgesia after thoracotomy.

Methods

In this randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 46 patients (18 to 70 years old) who were candidates for thoracotomy surgery were randomly assigned to receive ropivacaine alone or combined with dexmedetomidine after epidural anesthesia as postoperative epidural anesthesia. The postoperative sedation rate, pain score, and opioid use were assessed within 48 hours after surgery and compared between the 2 groups.

Results

Comparing the mean postoperative sedation scores indicated no difference between the 2 study groups. The pain score assessment showed a lower pain score 6 to 36 hours after surgery in the group receiving concurrent ropivacaine and dexmedetomidine than in the group receiving ropivacaine alone. In the 2 groups receiving ropivacaine with and without dexmedetomidine, the rate of morphine administration after surgery was 43.4% and 65.2%, respectively, indicating no difference. However, the first group received significantly lower doses of morphine after the end of surgery (3.26 ± 0.90 mg vs. 7.04 ± 1.48 mg; P = 0.035).

Conclusions

A combination of ropivacaine and dexmedetomidine as epidural analgesia can lead to lower postoperative pain scores and reduced doses of opioids required.

Comparison Among Ultrasound-Guided Thoracic Paravertebral Block, Erector Spinae Plane Block and Serratus Anterior Plane Block for Analgesia in Thoracotomy for Lung Surgery

BACKGROUND

To compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of preoperative, single-shot ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB), erector spinae plane block (ESB), and serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) in thoracotomy pain.

DESIGN

A prospective, randomized study.

SETTING

The cardiothoracic operating room and intensive care unit of a tertiary-care hospital in India.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety adult patients scheduled to undergo posterolateral thoracotomy for lung surgery under general anesthesia were recruited and randomized into 3 equal groups.

INTERVENTIONS

Preoperatively, the patients received ultrasound-guided, single-shot nerve blocks within their respective groups, as follows: Erector spinae plane block in the ESB group, Thoracic paravertebral block in the TPVB group, and Serratus anterior plane block in the SAPB group.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

The primary outcome measure, the visual analog scale (VAS) score, was recorded postoperatively in the intensive care unit at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours. The secondary outcome measures were the time to first rescue analgesic, total rescue opioid dose used, patient satisfaction at 24 hours, success of one-time attempt, and occurrence of adverse events. Data were statistically analyzed and a significant difference was found in the VAS score at all time points, the time to rescue analgesic and total opioid dosage, and patient satisfaction level (p < 0.05) among the groups with only 1 incidence of hypotension in the TPVB group. From post hoc analysis, ESB was found to have better analgesic efficacy compared with TPVB and SAPB. Serratus anterior plane block was found to be least efficacious and shortest acting among the three.

CONCLUSION

The nerve blocks in decreasing order of analgesic efficacy in relieving post-thoracotomy pain would be ESB, TPVB, and SAPB.

Intravenous Morphine Infusion versus Thoracic Epidural Infusion of Ropivacaine with Fentanyl after the Ravitch Procedure-A Single-Center Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy of analgesia with intravenous infusion of morphine and thoracic epidural infusion of ropivacaine with fentanyl in pediatric patients after the Ravitch procedure.

METHODS

Postoperative analgesia was achieved by intravenous morphine infusion with a dose of 0.02-0.06 mg/kg per hour (intravenous group, n = 56) or thoracic epidural infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine and fentanyl 5 µg/mL with a flow rate of 0.1 mL/kg per hour (epidural group, n = 40). Furthermore, the multimodal pain management protocol included paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and metamizole as a rescue drug. The primary outcomes included pain scores (according to the Numerical Rating Scale, range 0-10), while the secondary outcomes included consumption of the rescue drug, anxiety, postoperative side effects, and patient satisfaction. The observation period lasted from postoperative day 0 to postoperative day 3.

RESULTS

Median average and maximal pain scores at rest, during deep breathing, and coughing were significantly lower in the intravenous group compared to the epidural group (p < 0.05). The effect size was medium (Cohen's d ranged from 0.5 to 0.7). Patients receiving morphine required significantly lower numbers of metamizole doses than in the epidural group (median 1 vs. 3; p = 0.003; Cohen's d = 0.6). Anxiety, postoperative side effects, and patient satisfaction were similar in both groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

An intravenous infusion of morphine may offer better postoperative analgesia than a thoracic epidural infusion of ropivacaine with fentanyl.