• Zoher M Naja, Mariam El-Rajab, Fouad Ziade, Mohamad Al-Tannir, and Taha Itani.
• Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. zouhnaja@yahoo.com
• Pain Pract. 2011 Nov 1; 11 (6): 509-15.

BackgroundThe aim of this clinical trial was to determine the potential analgesic effect of preoperative paravertebral blockade in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.MethodsSixty patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized to one of two groups with 30 patients each: bilateral nerve stimulator guided paravertebral blockade at the T5 to T6 level either prior to induction of general anesthesia (Group 1) or blockade immediately postoperatively (Group 2).ResultsThe preoperative paravertebral block group had significantly lower visual analog scale scores compared with the postoperative paravertebral block group both at rest 12 hours postoperatively (1.06 vs. 1.89; P < 0.05), on movement 12 hours postoperatively (1.89 vs. 3.00; P < 0.001) and on coughing 12 hours postoperatively (2.24 vs. 3.17; P < 0.01). The consumption of analgesics as well as the duration of hospital stay was significantly reduced in patients receiving preoperative paravertebral blocks (P < 0.05). [Correction added after online publication 27th May 2011: visual analog scores were amended]ConclusionBilateral paravertebral blockade performed prior to general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy can provide early discharge and better postoperative pain management.© 2011 The Authors. Pain Practice © 2011 World Institute of Pain.

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