Paravertebral block versus thoracic epidural for patients undergoing thoracotomy.

BACKGROUND: Operations on structures in the chest (usually the lungs) involve cutting between the ribs (thoracotomy). Severe post-thoracotomy pain can result from pleural (lung lining) and muscular damage, costovertebral joint (ribcage) disruption and intercostal nerve (nerves that run along the ribs) damage during surgery. Poor pain relief after surgery can impede recovery and increase the risks of developing complications such as lung collapse, chest infections and blood clots due to ineffective breathing and clearing of secretions. Effective management of acute pain following thoracotomy may prevent these complications and reduce the likelihood of developing chronic pain. A multi-modal approach to analgesia is widely employed by thoracic anaesthetists using a combination of regional anaesthetic blockade and systemic analgesia, with both non-opioid and opioid medications and local anaesthesia blockade.There is some evidence that blocking the nerves as they emerge from the spinal column (paravertebral block, PVB) may be associated with a lower risk of major complications in thoracic surgery but the majority of thoracic anaesthetists still prefer to use a thoracic epidural blockade (TEB) as analgesia for their patients undergoing thoracotomy. In order to bring about a change in practice, anaesthetists need a review that evaluates the risk of all major complications associated with thoracic epidural and paravertebral block in thoracotomy. OBJECTIVES: To compare the two regional techniques of TEB and PVB in adults undergoing elective thoracotomy with respect to:1. analgesic efficacy;2. the incidence of major complications (including mortality);3. the incidence of minor complications;4. length of hospital stay;5. cost effectiveness. SEARCH METHODS: We searched for studies in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2013, Issue 9); MEDLINE via Ovid (1966 to 16 October 2013); EMBASE via Ovid (1980 to 16 October 2013); CINAHL via EBSCO host (1982 to 16 October 2013); and reference lists of retrieved studies. We handsearched the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (16 October 2013). We reran the search on 31st January 2015. We found one additional study which is awaiting classification and will be addressed when we update the review. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PVB with TEB in thoracotomy, including upper gastrointestinal surgery. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Two review authors (JY and SG) independently assessed the studies for inclusion and then extracted data as eligible for inclusion in qualitative and quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). MAIN RESULTS: We included 14 studies with a total of 698 participants undergoing thoracotomy. There are two studies awaiting classification. The studies demonstrated high heterogeneity in insertion and use of both regional techniques, reflecting real-world differences in the anaesthesia techniques. Overall, the included studies have a moderate to high potential for bias, lacking details of randomization, group allocation concealment or arrangements to blind participants or outcome assessors. There was low to very low-quality evidence that showed no significant difference in 30-day mortality (2 studies, 125 participants. risk ratio (RR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 4.23, P value = 0.68) and major complications (cardiovascular: 2 studies, 114 participants. Hypotension RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.01 to 6.62, P value = 0.45; arrhythmias RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.29, P value = 0.36, myocardial infarction RR 3.19, 95% CI 0.13, 76.42, P value = 0.47); respiratory: 5 studies, 280 participants. RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.52, P value = 0.30). There was moderate-quality evidence that showed comparable analgesic efficacy across all time points both at rest and after coughing or physiotherapy (14 studies, 698 participants). There was moderate-quality evidence that showed PVB had a better minor complication profile than TEB including hypotension (8 studies, 445 participants. RR 0.16, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.38, P value < 0.0001), nausea and vomiting (6 studies, 345 participants. RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.75, P value = 0.001), pruritis (5 studies, 249 participants. RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.59, P value = 0.0005) and urinary retention (5 studies, 258 participants. RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.46, P value < 0.0001). There was insufficient data in chronic pain (six or 12 months). There was no difference found in and length of hospital stay (3 studies, 124 participants). We found no studies that reported costs. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Paravertebral blockade reduced the risks of developing minor complications compared to thoracic epidural blockade. Paravertebral blockade was as effective as thoracic epidural blockade in controlling acute pain. There was a lack of evidence in other outcomes. There was no difference in 30-day mortality, major complications, or length of hospital stay. There was insufficient data on chronic pain and costs. Results from this review should be interpreted with caution due to the heterogeneity of the included studies and the lack of reliable evidence. Future studies in this area need well-conducted, adequately-powered RCTs that focus not only on acute pain but also on major complications, chronic pain, length of stay and costs.

Factors affecting team leadership skills and their relationship with quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the relationship between team-leadership skills and quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in an adult cardiac-arrest simulation. Factors affecting team-leadership skills were also assessed. DESIGN: Forty advanced life-support providers leading a cardiac arrest team in a standardized cardiac-arrest simulation were videotaped. Background data were collected, including age (in yrs), sex, whether they had received any leadership training in the past, whether they were part of a professional group, the most recent advanced life-support course (in months) they had undergone, advanced life-support instructor/provider status, and whether they had led in any cardiac arrest situation in the preceding 6 months. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Participants were scored using the Cardiac Arrest Simulation test score and Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire for leadership skills. Process-focused quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation data were collected directly from manikin and video recordings. Primary outcomes were complex technical skills (measured as Cardiac Arrest Simulation test score, preshock pause, and hands-off ratio). Secondary outcomes were simple technical skills (chest-compression rate, depth, and ventilation rate). Univariate linear regressions were performed to examine how leadership skills affect quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and bivariate correlations elicited factors affecting team-leadership skills.Teams led by leaders with the best leadership skills performed higher quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation with better technical performance (R = 0.75, p < .001), shorter preshock pauses (R = 0.18, p < .001), with lower total hands-off ratio (R = 0.24, p = .01), and shorter time to first shock (R = 0.14, p = .02). Leadership skills were not significantly associated with more simple technical skills such as chest-compression rate, depth, and ventilation rate. Prior training in team leader skills was independently associated with better leadership behavior. CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between team leadership skills and cardiac arrest simulation test score, preshock pause, and hands off ratio. Developing leadership skills should be considered an integral part of resuscitation training.