Prospective, randomized comparative study of ultrasound-guided blocking of the lateral cutaneous branches of the intercostal nerves versus conventional analgesia in non-reconstructive breast surgery

Ultrasonography Guided Modified BRILMA (Blocking the Cutaneous Branches of Intercostal Nerves in the Middle Axillary Line) Block in Bariatric Surgery

Background: Postoperative pain is one of the major problems after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy besides complications. Management of pain control is still unclear in the obese population. Modified BRILMA (blocking the cutaneous branches of intercostal nerves in the middle axillary line) is a new analgesia technique which is performed by ultrasonography guided through the way between eighth and ninth rib level. This study is to evaluate the efficiency of modified BRILMA in bariatric patients while comparing with trocar site infiltration. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective designed retrospective data analysis study. Patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy between June 2019 and January 2020 were divided into two groups. One group underwent BRILMA block; the other group used traditional trocar site injection. Postoperative pain was followed by using visual analogue scale (VAS) (at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 hours postoperatively). Results: Thirty patients were included in the study. Twenty-four (80%) of the patients were women, and 6 (20%) of the patients were men. Mean body mass index of patients were 39.83 ± 4.02 kg/m2. Mean operational time was calculated 86.16 ± 19.94 minutes. When the patients' VAS was compared, 12th hour VAS value was statistically less in the BRILMA group. There were no significant differences in other hours' VAS between two groups. When compared with the use of opioid amount, there were no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = .66), but BRILMA group had less amount. Conclusion: Modified BRILMA is an alternative technique to the use of trocar site bupivacain injection in bariatric surgery. It is new technique that is tried in bariatric population, which is also cost-effective and has less opioid consumption.

Breast augmentation under local anesthesia with intercostal blocks and light sedation

INTRODUCTION

This study of breast augmentations performed under local anesthesia with intercostal blocks and light sedation describes the outcomes and evaluates benefits and complications.

METHOD

From December 2005 until August 2019, 335 women consecutively underwent bilateral breast augmentation procedures. The anesthetic protocol consisted of an initial intravenous bolus of 1 mg midazolam and 0.25 mg alfentanil preoperatively. In 2017, this was changed to 2-4 mg midazolam intramuscularly, 1 mg midazolam intravenously, and 2.5 µg sufentanil intravenously. Intercostal blocks were injected at the midaxillary line into the intercostal spaces two to seven. The operating field was infiltrated with tumescent local anesthesia. Retrospective data extraction from patients' medical charts was done, registering demographics, dosage of anesthesia, surgical characteristics, complications, and reoperation rates.

RESULTS

Two hundred and eighty-one women underwent primary augmentation and 54 had implant replacement. The most common complications included suboptimal cosmetic results, asymmetry, and healing-related problems. The overall rate of reoperation was 16.1% within an average follow-up period of 2 years, ranging from 0 to 12.5 years. The majority of the reoperations were due to cosmetic reasons. The change in anesthetic regime was associated with a significantly (p < 0.0001) decreased need for supplementary medication with no increased risk of complications.

CONCLUSION

Breast augmentations in local anesthesia with intercostal blocks and light sedation can be performed safely and can serve as an alternative to procedures in general anesthesia.

Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Modified BRILMA Block with Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Aims

Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block is the standard practice for postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of modified BRILMA Block (blocking the BRanches of Intercostal nerves at the Level of Mid-Axillary line) with Subcostal TAP block for pain relief following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods

Sixty cases scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into two groups: modified BRILMA block (Group B) and Subcostal TAP block (Group T). General anesthesia was standardized for both groups. Blocks were performed with 20 mL of 0.2% Ropivacaine under ultrasound guidance after induction of anesthesia. Patients were administered morphine through patient controlled analgesia (PCA) pump with a bolus dose of 1 mg, 10 min lockout interval, and a basal infusion rate of 0.1 mg/h. The pain was assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores of one to ten. The total morphine consumption, time to first request for rescue analgesia, and VAS scores at rest and with movement, and complications, if any, were recorded.

Results

The morphine consumption in Group B was 5.67 ± 1.98 mg and in Group T was 5.17 ± 1.85 mg, which was found to be statistically insignificant (p-value = 0.317). The time to first request for rescue analgesia was 759.33 ± 80.29 min in Group B which was comparable to 854 ± 93.01 min in Group T and statistically insignificant (p-value = 0.295). The average VAS scores at rest as well as on movement were comparable in both the groups during the entire 24 h postoperative period. No complications were encountered in our study.

Conclusion

Ultrasound-guided modified BRILMA block is equally efficacious as subcostal TAP block in providing postoperative analgesia with similar morphine consumption and no significant difference in VAS scores at rest and movement following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Trial Registration Number

CTRI/2020/02/023457.

Comparison of local and regional anesthesia modalities in breast surgery: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Moderate to severe postoperative pain occurs in up to 60% of women following breast operations. Our aim was to perform a network meta-analysis and systematic review to compare the efficacy and side effects of different analgesic strategies in breast surgery.

DESIGN

Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

SETTING

Operating room, postoperative recovery room and ward.

PATIENTS

Patients scheduled for breast surgery under general anesthesia.

INTERVENTIONS

Following an extensive search of electronic databases, those who received any of the following interventions, control, local anesthetic (LA) infiltration, erector spinae plane (ESP) block, pectoralis nerve (PECS) block, paravertebral block (PVB) or serratus plane block (SPB), were included. Exclusion criteria were met if the regional anesthesia modality was not ultrasound-guided. Network plots were constructed and network league tables were produced.

MEASUREMENTS

Co-primary outcomes were the pain at rest at 0-2 h and 8-12 h. Secondary outcomes were those related to analgesia, side effects and functional status.

MAIN RESULTS

In all, 66 trials met our inclusion criteria. No differences were demonstrated between control and LA infiltration in regard to the co-primary outcomes, pain at rest at 0-2 and 8-12 h. The quality of evidence was moderate in view of the serious imprecision. With respect to pain at rest at 8-12 h, ESP block, PECS block and PVB were found to be superior to control or LA infiltration. No differences were revealed between control and LA infiltration for outcomes related to analgesia and side effects, and few differences were shown between the various regional anesthesia techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

In breast surgery, regional anesthesia modalities were preferable from an analgesic perspective to control or LA infiltration, with a clinically significant decrease in pain score and cumulative opioid consumption, and limited differences were present between regional anesthetic techniques themselves.

BRILMA block for costal cartilage excision: Case report

The block of the lateral branches of the intercostal nerves in the middle axillary line (BRILMA) is an interfascial ultrasound-guided block for analgesia in thoracic wall and upper abdominal surgery, presenting as an adequate alternative to neuraxial techniques. We present the case of a 49-year-old female scheduled for idiopathic subglottic stenosis repair with a costal cartilage graft from the 10^th rib and tracheotomy. At the end of the surgery, unilateral ultrasound-guided BRILMA block with 20ml of ropivacaine 0.2% was performed at the level of the 6^th rib, uneventfully. Postoperatively, the patient referred a maximum level of pain of 3/10. There was no opioid consumption after the 2^nd postoperative day, although a subcostal incision may produce considerable pain. BRILMA is a superficial block, easily reproducible in most patients. It diminishes the number of punctures needed in the thoracic wall, as well as the risk for pneumothorax and local anesthetic toxicity.