ABSTRACT
To evaluate the effect of thoracic paravertebral block and morphine versus morphine alone for thoracoscopic surgeries during the first 4 hours. This study was conducted at King Hussein Medical Center-Amman between August 2009 to August 2010. In this study, 60 patients, were divided into two groups: Group P [paravertebral and morphine] [n=30], patients received thoracic paravertebral block with bupivacaine 0.25% in addition to an intravenous single-injection of morphine, 0.1 mg/kg. Group M [control group] [n=30], patients received morphine; 0.1 mg/kg injection .Pain scores were recorded during the first 4 hours after surgery using visual analogue scale. Also cumulative morphine consumption was recorded during the first 4 hours. The data was analyzed using student's t-test Sixty patients were included in this study, 30 in the paravertebral group [P] and 30 in the control group [M]. Pain scores during the first 4 hours postoperatively were lower in group P than group M. The quantity of morphine administered per patient in the first 4 hours was 10mg [range 0-18mg] in group M and 6mg [range 0-12mg] in group P. Preoperative paravertebral block combined with intravenous morphine improves postoperative pain outcome after thoracoscopic surgeries