Parasternal Block in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Optimal Timing of Parasternal Intercostal Nerve Block in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

The objective of this study is to determine whether the use of post-incisional surgeon-delivered parasternal block in children undergoing congenital heart surgery is associated with differences in outcomes when compared to ultrasound-guided pre-incisional parasternal block in the form of Pectointercostal fascial plane block (PIFB).

Although many studies have found that pre-incisional parasternal block is effective in preventing postoperative sternotomy pain, we found no randomized controlled trials comparing pre-incisional vs post-incisional parasternal block in pediatric patients except for one retrospective cohort study done by Lisa et al comparing surgeon-delivered local anesthetic wound infiltration vs postoperative bilateral Petco-Intercostal Fascial Blocks. The post-incisional parasternal block may give prolonged postoperative pain control (equivalent to analgesia duration of pre-incisional parasternal block plus the duration of the operative procedure.)

Inclusion Criteria:

Acyanotic Congenital heart disease; ASD (atrial septal defect), VSD (ventricular septal defect), and CAVC (common atrioventricular canal).

Elective open-heart surgery via median sternotomy and under CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass).

Hemodynamic stability (no evidence of heart failure, not on vasoactive drugs, and not on mechanical ventilation.

Exclusion Criteria:

Previous, urgent, or emergent cardiac surgery. Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease. local infection of the skin at the site of needle puncture, Allergy to bupivacaine, Coagulation disorders, Clinically significant liver or kidney disease, Heart failure or severe pulmonary hypertension.