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Comparison of erector spinae plane block and serratus anterior plane block for pain management in thoracoscopic surgery

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 4 , 629 - 634 , 30.07.2025
https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1703176
https://izlik.org/JA69TG93EH

Abstract

Aims: This study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of erector spinae plane block and serratus anterior plane block in VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery) patients.
Methods: This prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial included fifty patients aged 18 to 70 years, classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III, who were scheduled to undergo elective video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) between February 2022 and February 2023. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either an erector spinae plane block (ESPB) or a serratus anterior plane block (SAPB). In the ESPB group, a catheter was inserted at the T5 vertebral level, and 30 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine was administered. In the SAPB group, the catheter was placed into the superficial fascia overlying the serratus anterior muscle at the level of the fifth rib, and the same volume and concentration of local anesthetic was used. Postoperatively, when the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain score was ≥3, a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device delivering 0.125% bupivacaine was connected to the catheter, and continuous infusion was initiated. Intraoperative fentanyl consumption, time to PCA connection, NRS scores, and postoperative morphine use were recorded. Data were analyzed using R version 4.0.0. Appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests were used based on data distribution. Repeated measures were evaluated with the Friedman test, and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Intraoperative fentanyl consumption was significantly lower in the ESPB group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups in time to PCA connection, NRS scores, or postoperative morphine use (p>0.05). NRS scores decreased over time in both groups. No complications occurred.
Conclusion: ESPB is superior for intraoperative analgesia, while both blocks are equally effective for postoperative pain management.

References

  • Soto RG, Fu ES. Acute pain management for patients undergoing thoracotomy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;75(4):1349-1357. doi:10.1016/S0003-4975(02)04647-7
  • Steinthorsdottir KJ, Wildgaard L, Hansen HJ, Petersen RH, Wildgaard K. Regional analgesia for video-assisted thoracic surgery: a systematic review. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2014;45(6):959-966. doi:10.1093/ejcts/ezt525
  • Chin KJ. Thoracic wall blocks: from paravertebral to retrolaminar to serratus to erector spinae and back again-a review of evidence. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol. 2019;33(1):67-77. doi:10.1016/j.bpa.2019.02.003
  • Elsabeeny WY, Ibrahim MA, Shehab NN, Mohamed A, Wadod MA. Serratus anterior plane block and erector spinae plane block versus thoracic epidural analgesia for perioperative thoracotomy pain control: a randomized controlled study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021;35(10): 2928-2936. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2020.12.047
  • Blanco R, Parras T, McDonnell JG, Prats-Galino A. Serratus plane block: a novel ultrasound-guided thoracic wall nerve block. Anaesthesia. 2013; 68(11):1107-1113. doi:10.1111/anae.12344
  • Mayes J, Davison E, Panahi P, et al. An anatomical evaluation of the serratus anterior plane block. Anaesthesia. 2016;71(9):1064-1069. doi:10. 1111/anae.13549
  • Qiu L, Bu X, Shen J, et al. Observation of the analgesic effect of superficial or deep anterior serratus plane block on patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. Medicine. 2021;100(3):1-6. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000024352
  • Zengin M, Sazak H, Baldemir R, Ulger G, Alagoz A. The effect of erector spinae plane block and combined deep and superficial serratus anterior plane block on acute pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a randomized controlled study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022;36(8): 2991-2999. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2022.01.048
  • Moon S, Lee J, Kim H, Kim J, Kim J, Kim S. Comparison of the intraoperative analgesic efficacy between ultrasound-guided deep and superficial serratus anterior plane block during video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Medicine. 2020;99(47):e23214. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000023214
  • Zengin M, Baldemir R, Ülger G, Sazak H, Alagöz A. Comparison of deep and combined serratus anterior plane block after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery; a prospective randomized trial. J Health Sci Med. 2023;6(1):18-24. doi:10.32322/JHSM.1185437
  • Chin KJ, El-Boghdadly K. Mechanisms of action of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block: a narrative review. Canad J Anesthes. 2021;68(3):387-408. doi:10.1007/S12630-020-01875-2
  • Forero M, Adhikary SD, Lopez H, Tsui C, Chin KJ. The erector spinae plane block: a novel analgesic technique in thoracic neuropathic pain. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2016;41(5):621-627. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000 000000000451
  • Ciftci B, Ekinci M, Celik EC, Tukac IC, Bayrak Y, Atalay YO. Efficacy of an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia management after video-assisted thoracic surgery: a prospective randomized study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2020;34(2): 444-449. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2019.04.026
  • Zhang JG, Jiang CW, Deng W, Liu F, Wu XP. 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. Int J Clin Pract. 2022;2022:6924489. doi: 10.1155/2022/6924489
  • Nachira D, Punzo G, Calabrese G, et al. The efficacy of continuous serratus anterior and erector spinae plane blocks vs intercostal nerve block in uniportal-vats surgery: a propensity-matched prospective trial. J Clin Med. 2024;13(2):606. doi:10.3390/jcm13020606
  • Punzo G, Nachira D, Calabrese G, et al. Safety and efficacy of surgically performed continuous superficial serratus anterior plane block in uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery. J Minim Access Surg. 2024; 21(2):162-168. doi:10.4103/JMAS.JMAS_345_23
  • Zengin M, Sazak H, Baldemir R, et al. Comparison of analgesic efficacy of different local anesthetic volumes for erector spinae plane block in thoracotomy patients; a prospective randomized trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2023;23(1):42. doi:10.1186/S12871-023-02004-4
  • Ekinci M, Ciftci B, Gölboyu BE, Demiraran Y, Bayrak Y, Tulgar S. A randomized trial to compare serratus anterior plane block and erector spinae plane block for pain management following thoracoscopic surgery. Pain Med. 2020;21(6):1248-1254. doi:10.1093/pm/pnaa101
  • Gaballah KM, Soltan WA, Bahgat NM. Ultrasound-guided serratus plane block versus erector spinae block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopy: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2019;33(7):1946-1953. doi:10.1053/j.jvca. 2019.02.028
  • Finnerty DT, McMahon A, McNamara JR, Hartigan SD, Griffin M, Buggy DJ. Comparing erector spinae plane block with serratus anterior plane block for minimally invasive thoracic surgery: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Anaesth. 2020;125(5):802-810. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2020. 06.020
  • Wu W, Xu H, Chen X, He W, Shi H. Comparison of erector spinae plane block and serratus anterior plane block for postoperative analgesia in uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomy: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2023;23(1):394. doi:10.1186/s12871-023-02353-0
  • Scimia P, Ricci EB, Droghetti A, Fusco P. The ultrasound-guided continuous erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia in video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2017; 42(4):537. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000000000000616
  • Fillingim RB. Individual differences in pain: understanding the mosaic that makes pain personal. Pain. 2017;158(4):S11-S18. doi:10.1097/J.PAIN.0000 000000000775

Torakoskopik cerrahide ağrı kontrolünde erector spinae ve serratus anterior plan bloklarının etkinliğinin karşılaştırılması

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 4 , 629 - 634 , 30.07.2025
https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1703176
https://izlik.org/JA69TG93EH

Abstract

Amaç:
Bu çalışma, video yardımlı torakoskopik cerrahi (VATS) geçiren hastalarda erector spinae plan bloğu (ESPB) ile serratus anterior plan bloğunun (SAPB) etkinliğini ve güvenliğini karşılaştırmak amacıyla tasarlanmıştır.

Yöntemler:
Bu prospektif, tek kör, randomize kontrollü çalışmaya Şubat 2022 ile Şubat 2023 tarihleri arasında elektif video yardımlı torakoskopik cerrahi (VATS) planlanan, Amerikan Anesteziyoloji Derneği (ASA) fiziksel durum sınıflaması I–III olan, 18–70 yaş aralığındaki elli hasta dahil edildi. Hastalar rastgele olarak ESPB veya SAPB gruplarına atandı. ESPB grubuna, T5 seviyesinden bir kateter yerleştirilerek 30 ml %0,25 bupivakain uygulandı. SAPB grubuna ise serratus kasının yüzeyel fasyasına, beşinci kosta seviyesinde bir kateter yerleştirilerek aynı doz uygulandı. Postoperatif dönemde, Sayısal Ağrı Skalası (NRS) skoru ≥3 olduğunda, %0.125 bupivakain içeren hasta kontrollü analjezi (PCA) cihazı katetere bağlandı ve sürekli infüzyona başlandı. İntraoperatif fentanil tüketimi, PCA bağlantı süresi, NRS skorları ve postoperatif morfin kullanımı kaydedildi. Veriler R versiyon 4.0.0 ile analiz edildi. Veri dağılımına göre uygun parametrik veya non-parametrik testler kullanıldı. Tekrarlayan ölçümler Friedman testi ile değerlendirildi ve p<0.05 değeri istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edildi.

Bulgular:
İntraoperatif fentanil tüketimi ESPB grubunda anlamlı derecede daha düşüktü (p<0.05). PCA bağlantı süresi, NRS skorları ve postoperatif morfin kullanımı açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı fark bulunmadı (p>0.05). Her iki grupta da NRS skorları zamanla azaldı. Herhangi bir komplikasyon görülmedi.

Sonuç:
ESPB, intraoperatif analjezi açısından daha üstündür; ancak her iki blok da postoperatif ağrı yönetiminde eşit derecede etkilidir.

References

  • Soto RG, Fu ES. Acute pain management for patients undergoing thoracotomy. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;75(4):1349-1357. doi:10.1016/S0003-4975(02)04647-7
  • Steinthorsdottir KJ, Wildgaard L, Hansen HJ, Petersen RH, Wildgaard K. Regional analgesia for video-assisted thoracic surgery: a systematic review. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2014;45(6):959-966. doi:10.1093/ejcts/ezt525
  • Chin KJ. Thoracic wall blocks: from paravertebral to retrolaminar to serratus to erector spinae and back again-a review of evidence. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol. 2019;33(1):67-77. doi:10.1016/j.bpa.2019.02.003
  • Elsabeeny WY, Ibrahim MA, Shehab NN, Mohamed A, Wadod MA. Serratus anterior plane block and erector spinae plane block versus thoracic epidural analgesia for perioperative thoracotomy pain control: a randomized controlled study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2021;35(10): 2928-2936. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2020.12.047
  • Blanco R, Parras T, McDonnell JG, Prats-Galino A. Serratus plane block: a novel ultrasound-guided thoracic wall nerve block. Anaesthesia. 2013; 68(11):1107-1113. doi:10.1111/anae.12344
  • Mayes J, Davison E, Panahi P, et al. An anatomical evaluation of the serratus anterior plane block. Anaesthesia. 2016;71(9):1064-1069. doi:10. 1111/anae.13549
  • Qiu L, Bu X, Shen J, et al. Observation of the analgesic effect of superficial or deep anterior serratus plane block on patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. Medicine. 2021;100(3):1-6. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000024352
  • Zengin M, Sazak H, Baldemir R, Ulger G, Alagoz A. The effect of erector spinae plane block and combined deep and superficial serratus anterior plane block on acute pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a randomized controlled study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2022;36(8): 2991-2999. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2022.01.048
  • Moon S, Lee J, Kim H, Kim J, Kim J, Kim S. Comparison of the intraoperative analgesic efficacy between ultrasound-guided deep and superficial serratus anterior plane block during video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Medicine. 2020;99(47):e23214. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000023214
  • Zengin M, Baldemir R, Ülger G, Sazak H, Alagöz A. Comparison of deep and combined serratus anterior plane block after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery; a prospective randomized trial. J Health Sci Med. 2023;6(1):18-24. doi:10.32322/JHSM.1185437
  • Chin KJ, El-Boghdadly K. Mechanisms of action of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block: a narrative review. Canad J Anesthes. 2021;68(3):387-408. doi:10.1007/S12630-020-01875-2
  • Forero M, Adhikary SD, Lopez H, Tsui C, Chin KJ. The erector spinae plane block: a novel analgesic technique in thoracic neuropathic pain. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2016;41(5):621-627. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000 000000000451
  • Ciftci B, Ekinci M, Celik EC, Tukac IC, Bayrak Y, Atalay YO. Efficacy of an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia management after video-assisted thoracic surgery: a prospective randomized study. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2020;34(2): 444-449. doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2019.04.026
  • Zhang JG, Jiang CW, Deng W, Liu F, Wu XP. 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. Int J Clin Pract. 2022;2022:6924489. doi: 10.1155/2022/6924489
  • Nachira D, Punzo G, Calabrese G, et al. The efficacy of continuous serratus anterior and erector spinae plane blocks vs intercostal nerve block in uniportal-vats surgery: a propensity-matched prospective trial. J Clin Med. 2024;13(2):606. doi:10.3390/jcm13020606
  • Punzo G, Nachira D, Calabrese G, et al. Safety and efficacy of surgically performed continuous superficial serratus anterior plane block in uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery. J Minim Access Surg. 2024; 21(2):162-168. doi:10.4103/JMAS.JMAS_345_23
  • Zengin M, Sazak H, Baldemir R, et al. Comparison of analgesic efficacy of different local anesthetic volumes for erector spinae plane block in thoracotomy patients; a prospective randomized trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2023;23(1):42. doi:10.1186/S12871-023-02004-4
  • Ekinci M, Ciftci B, Gölboyu BE, Demiraran Y, Bayrak Y, Tulgar S. A randomized trial to compare serratus anterior plane block and erector spinae plane block for pain management following thoracoscopic surgery. Pain Med. 2020;21(6):1248-1254. doi:10.1093/pm/pnaa101
  • Gaballah KM, Soltan WA, Bahgat NM. Ultrasound-guided serratus plane block versus erector spinae block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopy: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2019;33(7):1946-1953. doi:10.1053/j.jvca. 2019.02.028
  • Finnerty DT, McMahon A, McNamara JR, Hartigan SD, Griffin M, Buggy DJ. Comparing erector spinae plane block with serratus anterior plane block for minimally invasive thoracic surgery: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Anaesth. 2020;125(5):802-810. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2020. 06.020
  • Wu W, Xu H, Chen X, He W, Shi H. Comparison of erector spinae plane block and serratus anterior plane block for postoperative analgesia in uniportal thoracoscopic lobectomy: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2023;23(1):394. doi:10.1186/s12871-023-02353-0
  • Scimia P, Ricci EB, Droghetti A, Fusco P. The ultrasound-guided continuous erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia in video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2017; 42(4):537. doi:10.1097/AAP.0000000000000616
  • Fillingim RB. Individual differences in pain: understanding the mosaic that makes pain personal. Pain. 2017;158(4):S11-S18. doi:10.1097/J.PAIN.0000 000000000775
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Thoracic Surgery, Anaesthesiology
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Barış Demirci 0000-0003-4001-1006

İlknur Hatice Akbudak 0000-0001-9937-9169

Seher İlhan 0000-0002-4857-8501

Aslı Mete Yıldız 0000-0002-5621-7407

Submission Date May 21, 2025
Acceptance Date June 27, 2025
Publication Date July 30, 2025
DOI https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1703176
IZ https://izlik.org/JA69TG93EH
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 8 Issue: 4

Cite

AMA 1.Demirci B, Akbudak İH, İlhan S, Mete Yıldız A. Comparison of erector spinae plane block and serratus anterior plane block for pain management in thoracoscopic surgery. J Health Sci Med / JHSM. 2025;8(4):629-634. doi:10.32322/jhsm.1703176

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