Continuous intercostal blockade after cardiac surgery.

The provision of analgesia using continuous bilateral intercostal blockade was compared with that provided by conventional i.v. narcotics for the first 48 h after cardiac surgery. The subjective quality of analgesia was significantly superior with the regional technique. However, pulmonary function tests, gas exchange, lung volume, and radiological and clinical evidence of pulmonary complications were not improved. The failure to reduce morbidity and the potential for complications such as pneumothorax, makes it difficult to recommend the regional analgesia technique in this situation.