Combination of Rectus Sheath Block and Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block as the Sole Anesthesia for an Open Gastrostomy in a High-risk Patient

Truncal blocks are widely used for postoperative analgesia, but are rarely used for surgical anesthesia. Herein is reported the success of an open gastrotomy under truncal blocks in a patient for whom general anesthesia and neuraxial blockade were undesirable. A 79-year-old man, with advanced esophageal cancer presented with several comorbidities; including cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, and prior cerebral infarction. Difficulty in airway management was anticipated due to the mass’s compression on the airway. Anesthesia was achieved using a combination of truncal blocks; this being the rectus sheath block and the subcostal transversus abdominis plane block, supplemented by intravenous fentanyl for managing visceral pain

Interrater Reliability of the Postoperative Epidural Fibrosis Classification: A Histopathologic Study in the Rat Model

Study DesignAgreement study.PurposeTo validate the interrater reliability of the histopathological classification of the post-laminectomy epidural fibrosis in an animal model.Overview of LiteratureEpidural fibrosis is a common cause of failed back surgery syndrome. Many animal experiments have been developed to investigate the prevention of epidural fibrosis. One of the common outcome measurements is the epidural fibrous adherence grading, but the classification has not yet been validated.MethodsFive identical sets of histopathological digital files of L5-L6 laminectomized adult Sprague-Dawley rats, representing various degrees of postoperative epidural fibrous adherence were randomized and evaluated by five independent assessors masked to the study processes. Epidural fibrosis was rated as grade 0 (no fibrosis), grade 1 (thin fibrous band), grade 2 (continuous fibrous adherence for less than two-thirds of the laminectomy area), or grade 3 (large fibrotic tissue for more than two-thirds of the laminectomy area). A statistical analysis was performed.ResultsFour hundred slides were independently evaluated by each assessor. The percent agreement and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between each pair of assessors varied from 73.5% to 81.3% and from 0.81 to 0.86, respectively. The overall ICC was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.86).ConclusionsThe postoperative epidural fibrosis classification showed almost perfect agreement among the assessors. This classification can be used in research involving the histopathology of postoperative epidural fibrosis; for example, for the development of preventions of postoperative epidural fibrosis or treatment in an animal model

A randomized double-blind controlled study comparing erector spinae plane block and thoracic paravertebral block for postoperative analgesia after breast surgery

Background Thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) is an effective regional block for pain control after breast surgery. However, accidentally puncturing adjacent vital structures may cause undesirable complications. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been considered a safer proxy of PVB for beginners. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic effects of ultrasound-guidance PVB and ESPB after breast surgery. Methods This randomized control trial was conducted in patients who underwent mastectomy. Forty-four females were randomly allocated into PVB group or ESPB group. All patients received a block with 20 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine before general anesthesia. The primary outcome was the 24-h postoperative morphine requirements. The other outcomes of interest were postoperative pain scores, time to first analgesic request, dermatome of sensory blockade, block-related complications, and opioid adverse events. Results The 24-h morphine requirements were significantly lower in PVB compared to the ESPB group (3.5 ± 3.3 vs. 8.6 ± 3.8 mg, P < 0.001). The overall pain scores were also lower in the PVB group (P < 0.001). Only 14 patients in the PVB group requested additional morphine, whereas all patients in the ESPB group requested it (P = 0.004). The dermatome of sensory blockade was wider in the PVB group (7 vs. 4 levels, P = 0.019). No serious complications occurred in either group. Conclusions Compared to ESPB, PVB provided lower postoperative opioid requirements, lower pain scores, and wider sensory blockade after mastectomy