Continuous Paravertebral Catheter vs. Single-Shot Intercostal Block: Optimizing Postoperative Analgesia in Thoracic Surgery

Clicks: 1
ID: 315710
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal

Ranked #413 of 432 articles by views in the british journal of surgery

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 432 in total.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Abstract Background Effective regional analgesia plays a pivotal role in perioperative pain management by reducing opioid requirements and related complications, such as postoperative nausea, paralytic ileus, and impaired postoperative mobilization. Despite its importance, the optimal technique remains debated. This study compared the efficacy of continuous paravertebral catheter (KPV) versus single-shot intercostal block (BIC) in patients undergoing video-assisted (VATS) and robotic-assisted (RATS) lung resection. Aims To compare the efficacy of KPV against BIC in optimizing postoperative analgesia, reducing opioid consumption, and improving clinical recovery in thoracic surgery patients. Methods This prospective observational study (September 2024–November 2025) compared intraoperative KPV against BIC within a standardized multimodal protocol. Primary outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores and cumulative opioid consumption (MME). Secondary outcomes included complications and time to oral analgesia. A 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis adjusted for baseline imbalances. Results Of 229 patients undergoing lung resection (82 lobectomies, 119 segmentectomies, 24 wedge) via VATS or RATS, 118 received KPV and 111 BIC. KPV significantly reduced resting pain (POD 0-2) and opioid consumption (73.9 vs 188.4 mg MME, p < 0.001) over the first three days, differences persisting to day 5 (table1). In matched cohorts (61 patients/group, table 2), KPV provided superior resting analgesia (POD 0-3, P<0.001; P=0.013) and reduced pain on effort (POD 1, P=0.006). Cumulative opioid consumption (J0–J5) was significantly lower with KPV (93.2 vs 218.3 mg MME, P<0.001). KPV also facilitated earlier transition to oral analgesia (P=0.04) and was linked to fewer cardiac complications (P=0.042), despite 10.7% catheter dislocation. Conclusion Continuous paravertebral analgesia provides superior, sustained pain relief and profound opioid sparing compared to intercostal block, supporting its prioritization in enhanced recovery pathways despite a learning curve for catheter placement.For image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text. For image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.
Reference Key
openalex_W7163343842 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors E Zanfrini, M Gonzalez, L Rosner
Journal the british journal of surgery
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/bjs/znag055.052
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znag055.052
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.