Comparison of Rhomboid Intercostal Block, Erector Spinae Plane Block, and Serratus Plane Block on Analgesia for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Thoracic surgery is one of the most painful surgical steps. An important tool for managing postoperative pain is effective postoperative analgesia. This research aimed at comparing the analgesic roles of three new fascial block techniques in the postoperative period after video-helped thoracoscopic operation (VATS). METHODS: We randomly allocated ninety patients into three teams experiencing ultrasound-directed serratus plane block, erector spinae plane block, and the rhomboid intercostal block, respectively. 0.4% ropivacaine of 20 mL was received by all groups. Outcomes. At 0–12 hours, sufentanil consumption was significantly lower in the RIB (35.2 ± 3.3 mg) and ESP (35.4 ± 2.8 mg) groups than that in the SAB (43.3 ± 2.7 mg) group (P < 0.001), and no obvious diversity in sufentanil consumption was shown between the RIB and ESP groups (P=0.813). At 12–24 hours, sufentanil consumption was greatly lower in the RIB and ESP groups than that in the SAB group (P < 0.001), and no great diversity in sufentanil consumption was found between the RIB and ESP groups (P=0.589). No great diversity in sufentanil consumption was shown between the RIB (50.4 ± 1.4 mg), ESP (50.4 ± 1.5 mg), and SAB (51.0 ± 1.7 mg) groups at 24–48 hours (P=0.192). At 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours, the postoperative dynamic NRS scores were significantly lower in the RIB and ESP groups than in the SAB group ((P < 0.05) for all contrasts). Nevertheless, no great diversity was observed in postoperative pain marks at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 hours after the surgery across the three groups. No statistical diversity was found in the postoperative NRS mark between groups RIB and ESP within 48 hours after surgery in case of active patients ((P < 0.05) for all contrasts). At 24 hours after surgery, a significant difference in IL-1β and IL-6 inflammatory factor concentrations was found between RIB and ESP compared with SAB block ((P < 0.05) for all contrasts). However, no great diversities were observed in IL-1β, and IL-6 inflammatory factor concentrations between RIB, ESP, and SAB at 24 hours preoperatively and at 48 hours postoperatively ((P < 0.05) for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: The dosage of sufentanil can be effectively reduced by ultrasound-directed rhomboid intercostal block and erector spinae plane block within 24 hours after VATS surgery, and pain can be relieved effectively within 24 hours by comparing with serratus plane block.