Rectus Sheath Block Improves Patient Recovery Following Open Aortic Surgery.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Vascular Surgery
• Pain Management

Background:

• Postoperative pain is a significant challenge in recovery after aortic surgery.
• Epidural catheters are used for pain management, but rectus sheath blocks (RSB) are less studied.
• This study compares recovery outcomes for open abdominal aortic surgery (OAS) with and without RSB.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of rectus sheath blocks as an adjunctive pain management strategy for open aortic surgery.
• To compare patient recovery metrics between general anesthesia (GA) alone and GA with RSB.

Main Methods:

• Adult patients undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair or bypass were divided into general anesthesia (GA) or GA + RSB groups.
• Exclusion criteria included epidural analgesia and retroperitoneal repairs.
• Outcomes measured: extubation time, opioid utilization (MME), length of stay, and complications.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving GA + RSB showed shorter extubation times (P < 0.001) and reduced MME utilization postoperatively (P = 0.002) and at discharge (P = 0.036).
• The RSB group also had a shorter length of stay (P = 0.006) and higher rates of elective procedures.
• Postoperative complications were comparable between groups.

Conclusions:

• Adjunctive rectus sheath blocks reduce opioid consumption during and after open aortic surgery.
• RSB is a viable alternative for periprocedural analgesia in OAS, enhancing patient recovery.