Korean J Pain.  2016 Jul;29(3):189-192. 10.3344/kjp.2016.29.3.189.

Serratus Anterior Plane (SAP) Block Used for Thoracotomy Analgesia: A Case Report

Affiliations
  • 1AÄ°BÜİzzet Baysal Education and Research Hospital, Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Bolu, Turkey. korgunokmen@gmail.com
  • 2AÄ°BÜİzzet Baysal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bolu, Turkey.
  • 3AÄ°BÜİzzet Baysal Education and Research Hospital, Thoracic Surgery, Bolu, Turkey.

Abstract

Thoracotomy is a surgical technique used to reach the thoracic cavity. Management of pain due to thoracotomy is important in order to protect the operative respiratory reserves and decrease complications. For thoracotomy pain, blocks (such as thoracic epidural, paravertebral, etc.) and pleural catheterization and intravenous drugs (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], and opioids, etc., can be used. We performed a serratus anterior plane (SAP) block followed by catheterization for thoracotomy pain. We used 20 ml 0.25% bupivacaine for analgesia in a patient who underwent wedge resection for a lung malignancy. We provided analgesia for a period of close to seven hours for the patient, whose postoperative VAS (visual analog scale) scores were recorded. We believe that an SAP block is effective and efficient for the management of pain after thoracotomy.

Keyword

Analgesia; Bupivacaine; Nerve block; Pain; Serratus anterior plane block; Thoracotomy; Ultrasonography

MeSH Terms

Analgesia*
Analgesics, Opioid
Bupivacaine
Catheterization
Catheters
Humans
Lung
Nerve Block
Thoracic Cavity
Thoracotomy*
Ultrasonography
Analgesics, Opioid
Bupivacaine

Figure

  • Fig. 1 SAM (Serratus anterior muscle). R4 (rib four), R5 (rip five), ICM (İntercostal muscle), Yellow arrow: neddle.

  • Fig. 2 Contrast material was seen to spread on the costae.

  • Fig. 3 Catheter position.


Cited by  2 articles

Small dose of naloxone as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in intrapleural infiltration after thoracotomy surgery: a prospective, controlled study
Asmaa Fawzy Amer, Amany Faheem Omara
Korean J Pain. 2019;32(2):105-112.    doi: 10.3344/kjp.2019.32.2.105.

Comparison of ultrasonography guided serratus anterior plane block and thoracic paravertebral block in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a prospective randomized double-blind study
Merve Sena Baytar, Canan Yılmaz, Derya Karasu, Çağdaş Baytar
Korean J Pain. 2021;34(2):234-240.    doi: 10.3344/kjp.2021.34.2.234.


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