• Qi Hong Shen, Yue-Zhong Lv, Ya-Fen Shi, Lan Lai, Yan-Jun Chen, and Qing-He Zhou.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China.
• Pain Physician. 2024 Sep 1; 27 (7): 375385375-385.

BackgroundPrior research has suggested that the rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) may contribute to postoperative analgesia after surgeries of the chest and breast.ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness and safety of RIB for postoperative analgesia, as well as whether RIB is superior to other types of nerve blocks.Study DesignA systematic review and meta-analysis.SettingQuerying electronic databases, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, was part of the process in searching for eligible clinical trials for this meta-analysis and systematic review.MethodsThe Cochrane Collaboration's tool for quality evaluation was utilized in assessing the bias risk in the selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs). meta-analysis was facilitated through the utilization of Review Manager 5.3. The determination of the evidence's quality adhered to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.ResultsAfter the inclusion and exclusion criteria were established, the incorporation of 8 RCTs, encompassing 714 patients, took place. During the first 24 hours after the operation, patients in the RIB group exhibited lower pain scores and less opioid consumption than did those in the no-block group. Furthermore, a decrease in the incidence of postoperative vomiting and nausea was noted in the RIB group. Nevertheless, when comparing outcomes, it was revealed that the RIB group and the other nerve block group did not differ significantly.LimitationsNo subgroup analysis to investigate the sources of heterogeneity was performed. The number of studies in this meta-analysis of RIB compared to those that focus on other types of nerve block is relatively small. The optimal concentrations and volumes of local anesthetics were not evaluated.ConclusionsRIB may be a new option for pain relief after chest and breast surgery.

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