Objective To analyze the outcome of fast track surgery after intercostal nerve block (INB) during thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae. Methods We recuited 76 patients who accepted thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae from February 2013 to March 2015. They were randomly divided into two groups: an intercostal nerve block and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (INB+IPCA) group, in which 38 patients (30 males, 8 females, with a mean age of 23.63±4.10 years) received INB intraoperatively and IPCA postoperatively, and a postoperative intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IPCA) group, in which 38 patients (33 males, 5 females, with a mean age of 24.93±6.34 years) only received IPCA postoperatively. Their general clinical data and the postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded. Analgesia-associated side effects, rate of the pulmonary infection were observed. Expenses associated with analgesia during hospital were calculated. Results The score of VAS, the incidence of nausea and vomiting, fatigue and other side effects, pulmonary atelectasis and the infection rate in the INB+IPCA group were significantly lower than those in the IPCA group. Postoperative use of analgesic drugs was significantly less than that in the IPCA group. Medical expenses did not significantly increase. Conclusion INB+IPCA is beneficial for fast track surgery after thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae.
Objective To compare the effects of epidural anesthesia with intubated anesthesia in the postoperative recovery of patients with thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae. Methods Sixty patients (53 males, 7 females, aged 16-65 years) undergoing thoracoscopic resection of unilateral pulmonary bullae in our hospital from December 2014 to December 2015 were randomly divided into two groups: a group A (epidural anesthesia group) received thoracic epidural block combined with intraoperative interthoracic vagus nerve block; a group B (general anesthesia group) received general anesthesia with double lumen endobronchial intubation and pulmonary sequestration. Postoperative anesthesia-related complications and postoperative recovery were recorded. Results Both of the two anesthesia methods could meet the requirements of operation. The patients with the vocal cord injury and sore throat in the group B were more than those in the group A. The difference was statistically significant in the incidence of sore throat (P<0.01) . Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in the group A was significantly higher than that of group B before lung recruitment (P<0.01). Compared with the group B, the group A had less visual analogue scale (VAS) score (P<0.05), earlier activity and feeding, less postoperative ICU and hospital stay (P<0.01). Conclusion Epidural anesthesia combined with intraoperative interthoracic vagus nerve block can meet thoracoscopic bullectomy surgery requirements with few complications and fast postoperative recovery.