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Author Spotlight: A Non-Intubated Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery with Multimodal Analgesia and Sevoflurane Inhalation Anesthesia
Published on: May 26, 2023
Liposomal Bupivacaine in Ultrasound-Guided Paravertebral Block Reduces Opioid Consumption and Accelerates Recovery
Li-Lei Wang1,2, Youzhuang Zhu1, Li-Yuan Hui2
1Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) can provide prolonged analgesia, which may reduce patients' opioid consumption, improve comfort, and facilitate recovery. Looser tissue and lower vascularity in the paravertebral space may facilitate LB diffusion and duration, so we investigated the effects of LB in multimodal analgesia after thoracic surgery with paravertebral block.
Methods:
In this single-center, double-blind, randomized, parallel-controlled trial, 102 patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic surgery were randomized 1:1 to thoracic paravertebral block with LB (6.67 mg/mL) or ropivacaine hydrochloride (RH; 0.33%). The primary outcome was opioid consumption within 72 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included pain ratings at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively; rescue analgesia; time to first ambulation and defecation; post-anesthesia care unit and hospital length of stay; and adverse events.
Results:
One patient was excluded due to block failure, leaving 101 patients (LB group, n = 51; RH group, n = 50). LB significantly reduced 72-h opioid consumption compared to RH (difference = -181.4 mg; 95% CI: -232.8, -130.0 mg; P < 0.001), and fewer patients in the LB group required rescue analgesia compared to the RH group (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.82; P < 0.05). Pain scores at 24 h were lower in the LB group than RH group (difference = -0.44; 95% CI: -0.84, -0.04; P < 0.05), with no differences at other timepoints. The LB group had shorter time to first ambulation than the RH group [median time (IQR): 20 (18-24) h vs 26 (22-32) h; HR: 3.81; 95% CI: 2.32, 6.19; P < 0.001] and shorter time to defecation [median time (IQR): 56 (42-65) h vs 72 (57-80) h; HR: 3.98; 95% CI: 2.46, 6.44; P < 0.001].
Conclusion:
Ultrasound-guided paravertebral block with LB may reduce postoperative opioid consumption and enhance recovery in patients undergoing thoracic surgery.
Trial Registration:
Chinese Clinical Trials Registry Platform (chictr.org.cn): ChiCTR2400091217.
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