Paravertebral Nerve Block for Donor Site Pain in Stage I Microtia Reconstruction: A Pilot Study. (23rd February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shaffer, Amber D.; Jabbour, Noel; Visoiu, Mihaela; Yang, Charles I.; Yellon, Robert F.
• Is Part Of: Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery. Volume 154:Number 5(2016:May)
• Page Start: 898
• Page End: 901
• Publication Date: 2016-02-23
• Subjects: costochondral graft -- rib cartilage graft -- ultrasound -- paravertebral block -- surgical pain -- microtia; Head -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neck -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; 617.51
• DOI: 10.1177/0194599816629395
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0194-5998

Abstract

Abstract : Acute Interventional Perioperative Pain Service consultants have routinely placed paravertebral nerve block (PVB) catheters for the continuous release of ropivacaine following stage I microtia reconstruction with costal cartilage graft at our institution since 2010. A retrospective chart review from July 2006 was performed to compare the length of hospital stay, median pain score (0‐10 scale), and opioid use of patients receiving PVB with those of historical controls. Statistical analysis included t, Mann‐Whitney U, and Fisher's exact tests. A total of 15 stage I microtia surgeries were included, 10 with PVB and 5 without. Patients with and without PVB had high peak pain scores (8.4 vs 7.8), remained in the hospital for 3.5 and 3.8 days, and consumed 0.69 and 0.36 mg/kg morphine equivalents, respectively. These findings highlight the feasibility of PVB, but larger studies are needed to optimize pain relief in this population.