Continuous serratus–intercostal plane block versus intercostal cryoanalgesia for postoperative pain after minimally invasive cardiac surgery: a prospective comparative observational study
Prospective comparison of continuous BRILMA and cryoanalgesia for postoperative pain management after minimally invasive cardiac surgery, indicating effective pain strategies.
Key Points
This research aims to compare the effectiveness of continuous BRILMA versus intercostal cryoanalgesia in managing postoperative pain after minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
Prospective comparative observational study design involving 63 consecutive adults.
Participants received either continuous BRILMA or intercostal cryoanalgesia based on routine practice, without randomization.
Pain was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale at multiple time points up to 30 days post-surgery.
Pain scores decreased significantly in both groups (p < 0.001) with significant group-by-time interactions (p = 0.002).
BRILMA provided lower pain scores at 72 hours, while cryoanalgesia showed lower pain levels at 30 days.
Both techniques led to low cumulative opioid requirements in the first 72 hours, with neuropathic pain incidence being low and similar between groups.
Cite This Study
González-Suárez et al. (2026) studied this question.