Ultrasound-Guided Thoracic Paravertebral Block for Pulmonary Radiofrequency Ablation

Surgical resection is the treatment of choice both for early-stage lung cancer and pulmonary metastatic disease. For patients with lung tumors who are not eligible for surgery, the minimally invasive modality of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may be curative and, thus, should be considered. However, opinions regarding the optimal anesthetic technique for pulmonary RFA differ. Here the authors report their experience with the use of ultrasound-guided paravertebral block in minimally-sedated patients undergoing pulmonary RFA. This retrospective study was conducted at a single institution. The 17 consecutive patients underwent 19 pulmonary RFA procedures for primary lung tumor or lung metastases. In all patients, RFA was performed according to the protocol of the hospital. Anesthesia in patients receiving RFA for lung tumors consisted of a thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB), performed between T4 and T8, with minimal sedation. This approach allowed intraoperative communication with the patient and apnea pauses as needed. There were no complications after TPVB, which was well-tolerated by all patients. Only two patients required an alfentanil bolus during RFA because of pleuritic pain. No patient required conversion from sedation to general anesthesia. There were no episodes of hemodynamic instability or desaturation (SaO₂ ≤95%), and excessive sedation prevented patient collaboration in only one patient. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided single-injection TPVB is a safe and effective anesthetic technique for high-risk patients undergoing RFA for a primary lung tumor or lung metastases.