Comparison of ultrasound-guided two-point block of the rhomboid intercostal vs. thoracic paravertebral for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing three-port thoracoscopic surgery: a prospective, randomized, non-inferiority study.
Ann MedAug 8, 2026 (epub)
Mingzi An, Yueru Hou, Chengyun Xu et al.
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In 30 seconds
This prospective, randomized, non-inferiority study evaluated the analgesic efficacy of ultrasound-guided two-point rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) compared to thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) in 70 patients undergoing three-port thoracoscopic surgery. The primary outcome, resting NRS pain score at 24 hours post-surgery, showed a mean difference of 0.088, confirming RIB's non-inferiority to TPVB.
Key findings
- Mean difference in resting NRS scores at 24 hours was 0.088 (95% CI, -0.377 to 0.553).
- Numerically greater need for rescue analgesia in the RIB group compared to TPVB (p = 0.045).
- 24-hour postoperative QoR-40 scores were comparable between RIB and TPVB groups.
Why it matters
Understanding the efficacy of different analgesic techniques is crucial for optimizing postoperative pain management. This study suggests that RIB can be a viable alternative to TPVB, potentially enhancing patient recovery experiences.