Summary

Background and objective: The efficiency of bilateral paravertebral blockade combined with general anaesthesia (active) vs. general anaesthesia alone (control) in reducing postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy was evaluated using a prospective randomized study design.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to either group. Nerve-stimulator guided paravertebral blockade at the T5–6 level was performed with a local anaesthetic mixture (0.30 mL kg−1). Twenty millilitres of the mixture contained lidocaine 2% 6 mL; lidocaine 2% 6 mL with epinephrine 1/200 000; bupivacaine 0.5% 5 mL; fentanyl 1 mL (50 μg mL−1) and clonidine 2 mL (150 μg mL−1). Postoperative pain and consumption of opioids were assessed during the first 72 h.

Results: Two-times 30 patients were analysed. Patient characteristics data, and pre- and peroperative variables were similar in both groups. Mean pain scores visual analogue scale were significantly less with active compared with control (P < 0.05) at 6 h (1.56 ± 1.58 vs. 4.78 ± 1.67), at 12 h (1.52 ± 1.58 vs. 3.81 ± 1.63), at 24 h (1.16 ± 1.34 vs. 2.71 ± 1.50), at 36 h (0.68 ± 1.02 vs. 2.29 ± 1.41), at 48 h (0.60 ± 1.04 vs. 1.61 ± 1.33) and at 72 h (0.40 ± 0.86 vs. 1.19 ± 1.16). The number of patients consuming supplemental analgesics was significantly less (P < 0.05) with active compared with control, at 6 h (6 vs. 29), at 12 h (2 vs. 26), at 24 h (1 vs. 23) and at 36 h (2 vs. 15). More patients were free from nausea (P < 0.05) with active compared with control at 6 h (23 vs. 9) and at 12 h (29 vs. 19).

Conclusion: When used as a complement to general anaesthesia, bilateral nerve-stimulator guided paravertebral blockade with lidocaine, bupivacaine, fentanyl and clonidine may improve postoperative pain relief.