Analgesic efficacy of pre-emptive ultrasound-guided mid-point transverse process to pleura block for patients undergoing posterolateral thoracotomy incisions: Randomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1. (a): Identification of insertion point 3 cm lateral to the spinous process of (T5-T6). (b): Ultrasound-guided mid-point transverse process to pleura. The local anesthetic injection was made at the midpoint between the posterior border of the transverse process and the pleura (LA; local anesthetic, N; needle).

Figure 2. CONSORT flow diagram.

Table 1. Comparison of the two study groups based on demographic information.

	Group I (n = 35)		Group II (n = 35)		Test of Sig.	P
	No.	%	No.	%
Sex
Male	21	6.0	22	62.9	χ2= 0.060	0.806
Female	14	4.0	13	37.1
Age (years)
Min. – Max.	23.0–63.0		23.0–6.0		t= 0.365	.716
Mean ± SD.	43.31 ± 11.45		44.26 ± 1.10
ASA
II	20	57.1	22	62.9	χ2= 0.238	0.626
III	15	42.9	13	37.1

SD: Standard deviation, t: Student t-test, χ2: Chi-square test, p: p-value for comparing between the two studied groups.

Figure 3. Comparison between the two groups regarding resting NRS (A) and during coughing (B).

Figure 4. Comparison between the two studied groups according to oxygen saturation (%) (A) and SpO₂/FiO₂ (B).

Table 2. Comparison of the two groups concerning the time to first analgesic requirement and total morphine use and chronic pain at 3 months.

	Group I (n = 35)	Group II (n = 35)	Test of Sig.	P
Time of first rescue analgesia (h)
Min. – Max.	4.0–18.0	0.0–18.0	U = 292.5*	0.001*
Median (IQR)	18.0 (18.0–18.0)	8.0 (4.0–18.0)
Total morphine (mg)
Min. – Max.	0.0–12.0	0.0–15.0	U = 268.0*	<0.001*
Median (IQR)	0.0 (0.0–1.50)	6.0 (1.50–9.0)
Chronic pain at 3 months			χ2=5.510*	0.019*
Absent Present	29 (82.9) 6 (17.1)	20 (57.1) 15 (42.9)

IQR: Inter quartile range, U: Mann Whitney test, χ2: Chi-square test, *: Statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05.

Table 3. Comparison of the two groups concerning undesirable side effects in both groups.

	Group I (n = 35)		Group II (n = 35)		χ^2	^MCp
	No.	%	No.	%
No complications	28	8.0	10	28.6	18.655*	<0.001*
Nausea	3	8.6	9	25.7
Respiratory depression	3	8.6	10	28.6
Vomiting	1	2.9	6	17.1

χ²: Chi-square test, MC: Monte Carlo, *: Statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05.