• Yan Wang, Xiaoping Gu, Simin Huang, Minke Shi, Xiaofeng He, and Zhengliang Ma.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
• Pain Res Manag. 2023 Jan 1; 2023: 39245113924511.

IntroductionThe anesthetic efficacy of the ultrasound-guided rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) in alleviating postoperative pain has been well concerned. This study aims to compare the effectiveness between ultrasound-guided RIB and paravertebral block (PVB) in alleviating acute pain following video-assisted thoracic surgery.MethodsIt was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial involving 132 patients with video-assisted thoracic surgery divided into three groups: the general anesthesia (GA) group, RIB group, and PVB group on T5 vertebra, using 0.4% ropivacaine at 3 mg/kg, registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100054057, "https://www.chictr.org.cn"). The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and cough during 48 h postoperatively and the postoperative consumption of pain rescue were the primary outcomes, and the QoR15 score 48 h postoperatively, the usage of opioids during and after operation, and nerve block-related complications were the secondary outcomes. Demographic characteristics, surgery characteristics, and primary outcomes between the groups were compared.ResultsA total of 120 eligible patients were recruited, including 40 in each group. Baseline and surgery characteristics between the groups were comparable (all p > 0.05). The PVB and RIB groups were better than the GA group in the primary and secondary outcomes (p < 0.05). The static VAS score, QoR15 score, and block-related complications within 48 hours after surgery were better in the RIB group than in the PVB group (p < 0.001).ConclusionBoth PVB and RIB can provide adequate analgesia and accelerate the recovery of patients. Compared with PVB, RIB has a better analgesic effect, especially to avoid paravertebral pain caused by block, and the operation of RIB is more straightforward and the safety is higher.Copyright © 2023 Yan Wang et al.

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