The Effect of Ultrasound-guided Erector Spinae Block and Intraoperative Intercostal Nerve Block on Postoperative Analgesia in Thoracic Surgery

Overview

This study aims to compare the effect of ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block and interthoracic intercostal nerve block in thoracic surgery. Interthoracic intercostal nerve block is a routine procedure during the surgery by the surgeon in our hospital, and ultrasound-guide erector spinae plane block is a relative new developed regional analgesia technique introduced since 2016 and mainly done by anesthesiologists. Both technique provide analgesic effect to some extent and reduce opiate consumption and side effects. However, no previous literature or research compare the effect of these two technique in thoracic surgery. The primary endpoint of our study is compare morphine consumption and pain score between patients undergo ESP block and patients undergo ICNB after thoracic surgery; the second endpoint is to compare the recovery condition evaluated by QoR-15 questionaire 24 hours after surgery.

Sample size estimation is based on our APS team data, in which the average cumulative morphine consumption in patients underwent VATS surgery with ICNB was calculated. The mean cumulative morphine consumption was 15±8 mg of patients underwent VATS with ICNB. We assume the difference between ICNB and ESPB group reach 5 mg and aim for a power of 95 % and a risk of 0.05 for a type-1 error, at least 42 for each group needing to be recruited. 50 patients for each group, total 100 patients will be collected to avoid dropouts. Patient will be allocated to one of the trial groups using a computer-generated random number table once the consent was approved. First group is ICNB group and the second group is ESPB group. The general anesthesia agents, induction process and routine care are the same for both groups. Once aforementioned routine cares are done, the patient will be turn into lateral decubitus position. Echo-guided ESP block will be performed after patients are turned into lateral decubitus position in ESP group; on the other side, local anesthetics will be injected at incision site and intrathoracic intercostal nerve block will be performed in ICNB group right after the surgeon makes the incision site and get into chest cavity. Pain score (VAS) and cumulative morphine consumption will be recorded in PACU, postoperative 24H, 48H, and before discharge. Recovery condition will be evaluated via QoR-15 questionnaire in postoperative 24H, furthermore, we will follow up the patient's pain and recovery status 3 months after the operation. After collecting above data, the effect of ESP group and ICNB group on acute pain relieve, chronic pain control and recovery enhancement will be evaluated.