Post-thoracotomy pain relief with subpleural analgesia or thoracic epidural analgesia: randomized clinical trial / Alívio da dor pós-toracotomia com analgesia subpleural ou analgesia epidural torácica: ensaio clínico randomizado

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Post-thoracotomy pain is a severe and intense pain caused by trauma to ribs, muscles and peripheral nerves. The current study aimed to compare subpleural analgesia (SPA) with thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) in patients undergoing thoracotomy. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized study at Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, in Turkey. METHODS: Thirty patients presenting American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III were scheduled for elective diagnostic thoracotomy. The patients were randomized to receive either patient-controlled SPA or patient-controlled TEA for post-thoracotomy pain control over a 24-hour period. The two groups received a mixture of 3 µg/ml fentanyl along with 0.05% bupivacaine solution through a patient-controlled analgesia pump. Rescue analgesia was administered intravenously, consisting of 100 mg tramadol in both groups. A visual analogue scale was used to assess pain at rest and during coughing over the course of 24 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: In the SPA group, all the patients required rescue analgesia, and five patients (33%) required rescue analgesia in the TEA group (P < 0.05). Patients who received subpleural analgesia exhibited higher visual analogue scores at rest and on coughing than patients who received thoracic epidural analgesia. None of the patients had any side-effects postoperatively, such as hypotension or respiratory depression. CONCLUSION: Thoracic epidural analgesia is superior to subpleural analgesia for relieving post-thoracotomy pain. We suggest that studies on effective drug dosages for providing subpleural analgesia are necessary.

RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Dor pós-toracotomia é severa e intensa, causada por trauma de nervos periféricos, músculos e costelas. O objetivo foi comparar analgesia subpleural (SPA) com analgesia epidural torácica (TEA) em pacientes submetidos à toracotomia. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo randomizado no Hospital Educação e Pesquisa de Numune, em Ancara, Turquia. MÉTODOS: Trinta pacientes com o estado físico I-III da Sociedade Americana de Anestesiologistas foram agendados para toracotomia diagnóstica eletiva e escolhidos aleatoriamente para receber, num período de 24 horas, SPA ou TEA, ambas controladas pelo próprio paciente, para controle da dor pós-toracotomia. Os dois grupos receberam mistura de 3 ug/ml de fentanil com solução de 0,05% de bupivacaína por meio de bomba de analgesia controlada pelo paciente. Foi administrada analgesia de resgate por via intravenosa, com 100 mg de tramadol, nos dois grupos. No pós-operatório, a escala visual analógica foi utilizada para medir presença de dor durante a tosse ou em repouso, ao longo de 24 horas. RESULTADOS: No grupo SPA, todos os pacientes necessitaram de analgesia de resgate. Cinco pacientes (33%) necessitaram de analgesia de resgate no grupo TEA (P < 0,05). Os pacientes com SPA exibiram pontuações superiores na escala visual analógica, em repouso e ao tossir, em comparação aos que receberam TEA. Nenhum dos pacientes teve quaisquer efeitos secundários no pós-operatório, como hipotensão ou depressão respiratória. CONCLUSÃO: A analgesia peridural torácica é superior à analgesia subpleural no alívio da dor pós-toracotomia. Consideramos que estudos sobre a dosagem de drogas eficazes para proporcionar analgesia subpleural são necessários.

Intrapleural analgesia after endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy / Analgesia intrapleural após simpatectomia videotoracoscópica

PURPOSE: To compare analgesia traditionally used for thoracic sympathectomy to intrapleural ropivacaine injection in two different doses. METHODS: Twenty-four patients were divided into three similar groups, and all of them received intravenous dipyrone. Group A received intravenous tramadol and intrapleural injection of saline solution. Group B received intrapleural injection of 0.33 percent ropivacaine, and Group C 0.5 percent ropivacaine. The following aspects were analyzed: inspiratory capacity, respiratory rate and pain. Pain was evaluated in the immediate postoperative period by means of the visual analog scale and over a one-week period. RESULTS: In Groups A and B, reduced inspiratory capacity was observed in the postoperative period. In the first postoperative 12 hours, only 12.5 percent of the patients in Groups B and C showed intense pain as compared to 25 percent in Group A. In the subsequent week, only one patient in Group A showed mild pain while the remainder reported intense pain. In Group B, half of the patients showed intense pain, and in Group C, only one presented intense pain. CONCLUSION: Intrapleural analgesia with ropivacaine resulted in less pain in the late postoperative period with better analgesic outcomes in higher doses, providing a better ventilatory pattern.

OBJETIVO: Comparar a analgesia tradicionalmente utilizada para simpatectomia videotoracoscópica à injeção intrapleural de ropivacaína em duas doses diferentes. MÉTODOS: Vinte e quatro pacientes foram distribuídos em três grupos semelhantes, e todos eles receberam dipirona endovenosa. O grupo A recebeu tramadol endovenoso e injeção intrapleural de solução salina. O grupo B recebeu injeção intrapleural de ropivacaína a 0,33 por cento, e Grupo C ropivacaína a 0,5 por cento. Os aspectos analisados foram: capacidade inspiratória, freqüência respiratória e dor. A dor foi avaliada no período pós-operatório por meio da escala visual analógica e durante o período de uma semana. RESULTADOS: Nos grupos A e B, a redução da capacidade inspiratória foi observada no período pós-operatório. Nas primeiras 12 horas de pós-operatório, apenas 12,5 por cento dos pacientes nos grupos B e C apresentaram dor intensa em comparação a 25 por cento no Grupo A. Na semana seguinte, apenas um paciente do grupo A apresentou dor leve, enquanto o restante relatou dor intensa. No Grupo B, metade dos pacientes apresentou dor intensa, e no Grupo C, apenas um apresentou intensa dor. CONCLUSÃO: A analgesia intrapleural com ropivacaína resultou em menos dor no pós-operatório tardio com os melhores resultados analgésicos nas doses mais altas, proporcionando um melhor padrão ventilatório.

Three modalitis of postoperative pain management for transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy

Transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy [TES] has been already a standard method for the treatment of primary hyperhydrosis. Postoperative pain is a problem that usually encountered during TES. Although the surgical procedure is simple and short, the pain is usually severe [Failor and Capell, 2003]. This study was performed in 57 patients of both sex, aged 11-48 years old, divided randomly into three groups. All patients were premedicated with intravenous midazolam 0.02mg/kg. Anesthesia was induced with sleeping dose of thiopentone sodium, lug/kg fentanyl and atracurium 0.5mg/kg to facilitate endotracheal intubation. We evaluated the effect of three methods of management of postoperative pain. I [n=20] was treated by IV pethidine starting with 1mg/kg pethidine with top up doses of pethidine when needed. Group II [n=19] was treated by intrapleural plain bupivacaine 0.25% 1mg/kg. Group III [n=18] was treated by local infiltration of 0,5% plain bupivacaine 2 ml at both sides of cut ends of the sympathetic chain. In conclusion, we found that the systemic use of pethidine was least satisfactory and the intrapleural of injection bupivacaine was the best. However the time to discharge from hospital was the same for all groups