Continuous nerve block versus thoracic epidural analgesia for post-operative pain of pectus excavatum repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Surgery to repair pectus excavatum (PE) is often associated with severe postoperative pain, which can impact the length of hospital stay (LOS). While thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) has traditionally been used for pain management in PE, its placement can sometimes result in severe neurological complications. Recently, paravertebral block (PVB) and erector spinae plane block (ESPB) have been recommended for many other chest and abdominal surgeries. However, due to the more severe and prolonged pain associated with PE repair, it is still unclear whether continuous administration of these blocks is as effective as TEA. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate the equivalence of continuous PVB and ESPB to TEA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12871-023-02221-x.