Comparison of Efficacy of Paravertebral and Epidural Analgesia After Videothoracoscopic Lung Lobectomy

Comparison of Continuous Epidural and Continuous Paravertebral Blockade in Postoperative Analgesia After Videothoracoscopic Lung Lobectomy

Thoracic surgery correlates with significant pain in postoperative period. In order to alleviate the pain various combinations of pharmaceuticals and administration methods are employed. So as to reduce the extent of surgical trauma and, consequently, correlated pain various operation techniques are used. In traditional thoracotomy epidural anesthesia remains a golden standard. Epidural anesthesia however demands high skills to be performed correctly and presents an increased risk of grave complications. In videothoracoscopic (VATS) operations paravertebral blockade can be employed, yet there is no certainty if its efficacy after lung lobectomy. We therefore designed a prospective, randomized, parallel group, single site study to test the hypothesis, that continuous paravertebral blockade is as efficient in postoperative pain reduction as continuous epidural blockade and possesses a higher safety profile.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1-3
2. undergo videothoracoscopic lung lobectomy
3. forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) >1,5 l/min
4. no contraindications for epidural anesthesia and paravertebral nerve blockade
5. ability to comprehend principles of VAS pain examination method and to communicate in accordance with them.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. prior to the study: contraindications for local anesthesia, ASA>3, FEV1<1,5 l/min, conditions disabling the patient from comprehending the principles of VAS pain examination, known allergy to used medications.
2. during the study: failure to place epidural or paravertebral catheter, decision to abandon lobar resection (e.g. in case of neoplastic dissemination), intraoperative conversion to thoracotomy, intraoperative anatomical obstacles to distribution of local anesthetics, conditions disabling the patient from pain evaluation by means of VAS method (e.g. postoperative delirium), necessity to administer other pharmaceuticals influencing pain perception (e.g. sedatives), necessity of mechanical ventilation, interruption of local anesthesia as a result of technical problems (e.g. damage or slippage of catheter).