Application of artificial pneumothorax combined with intercostal nerve block in alleviating chest pain during percutaneous microwave ablation for subpleural lung malignancy: analysis of therapeutic efficacy / 介入放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the clinical effect of artificial pneumothorax combined with intercostal nerve block in alleviating chest pain occurring during and after percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) for subpleural lung malignancy.Methods A total of 30 patients with subpleural lung malignancy were randomly and equally divided into group A (n=10),group B (n=10) and group C (n=10).The patients in group A received both artificial pneumothorax and intercostal nerve block before MWA.The patients in group B only received artificial pneumothorax before MWA,and the patients in group C only received intercostal nerve block before MWA.The degree of pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score during MWA,immediately after MWA and at 6 h,12 h and 24 h after WMA.The side effects after MWA were recorded.Results During MWA,no statistically significant differences in VAS scores existed between each other among the three groups (P=0.885).The VAS scores determined at 6 h,12 h and 24 h after MWA in group C were significantly increased (P=0.014,P=0.006 and P=0.006 respectively).No patient in group A and group B developed symptoms of chest tightness after artificial pneumothorax was performed.After treatment,a small amount of asymptomatic residual pneumothorax was still observed in 6 patients of group A and group B,which disappeared spontaneously in about one week.Another patient still showed massive pneumothorax even after thoracic gas suction,and the patient recovered after thoracic closed drainage for three days.No other serious complications related to artificial pneumothorax occurred.Conclusion Artificial pneumothorax combined with intercostal nerve block can effectively relieve the chest pain occurring during and after MWA in patients with subpleural lung malignancy,and clinically this technique is quite safe.(J Intervent Radiol,2017,26269-273)