Rhomboid Intercostal and Serratus Anterior Interfascial Plane Blocks for the Treatment of Post-Operative Pain after Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Retrospective Propensity-Matched Study.

OBJECTIVE: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) techniques are commonly used for surgical procedures within the thoracic cavity with smaller incisions. There are very few regional anesthesia methods used to achieve this goal. This study aimed to investigate the effect of two fascial plane block technique rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) and serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) administered on pain scores after VATS.

METHODS: A total of 90 patients who underwent VATS were included in this study. Patients were divided in three groups: Group R (intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV. PCA) +RİB with (25 mL 0.25% bupivacaine; n=30), Group S (IV. PCA + SAPB with (25 mL 0.25% bupivacaine; n=30), and Group C (IV. PCA). The primary outcome was determined as a tramadol consumption amount (at hours 6, 12, and 24). Postoperative pain was evaluated using the VAS (at the 30th minute, 2nd, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours) scores. Secondary outcomes included the side effect profile and additional analgesic use.

RESULTS: VAS scores of the Group R were found to be statistically significantly lower to those of Group S and Group C (p<0.05). A comparison of Groups R and S with Group C in terms of tramadol consumption amounts, at all measurement time points, revealed statistically significantly lower values (p<0.005).

CONCLUSION: As per the results of this study, we believe that RİB and SAPB administration for pain palliation after VATS is an effective analgesia technique.