Application of methylene blue combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block in postoperative analgesia of autologous costal cartilage augmentation rhinoplasty

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of methylene blue combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block on postoperative analgesia after autologous costal cartilage augmentation rhinoplasty. METHODS: In this study 100 female patients who underwent autologous costal cartilage comprehensive augmentation rhinoplasty in Chongqing Huamei Plastic Surgery Hospital from April to November 2021 were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 50 cases in each group. In the experimental group methylene blue was combined with ropivacaine intercostal nerve block as patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA), and the control group was ropivacaine intercostal nerve block combined with PCIA. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of resting and coughing at 6 h (T1), 24 h (T2), 48 h (T3), 72 h (T4) after surgery were recorded and evaluated. At the same time, the number and times of oral analgesics were recorded as well as nausea, vomiting, burning pain and paresthesia. RESULTS: The VAS scores of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group at all time points. At 6 h, 24 h and 48 h after surgery, the VAS score of the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The VAS score of calm 72 h after surgery in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The analgesic effect of the two groups was better when they coughed after surgery. At 6 h after surgery, the VAS score of coughing in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05); At 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after surgery, the VAS score of the coughing state in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intercostal nerve block with methylene blue combined with ropivacaine can achieve good postoperative analgesic effects in augmentation rhinoplasty with autologous costal cartilage SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version of this paper (10.1007/s00101-022-01222-8) contains the questionnaire CONSORT—Guidelines for publishing random control trials.