Cardiothoracic & vascular anesthesia
Efficacy of parasternal peripheral nerve catheters versus no block for median sternotomy: a single-centre retrospective study
Authors' conclusion
This study suggests that continuous infusion of local anaesthetic through parasternal catheters may be a useful addition to a multimodal analgesic protocol in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with sternotomy.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with median sternotomy at a single academic centre
- Exposure
- Continuous ropivacaine 0.1% via parasternal catheters vs no block
- Outcome
- Integrated Pain Intensity and Opioid Consumption (PIOC) score
- Follow-up
- Up to 72 h
Methodological detailssingle-centre, before-and-after
- Single-centre
- Before-and-after
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PIOC score
Parasternal catheters vs No blockDifference (95% CI)P value
24 h
−62(−108 to −16)
P < 0.0148 h
−50(−97 to −2.2)
P = 0.04Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Opioid consumption · up to 72 h
- Significant reduction in opioid consumption, the primary factor in reduction of Pain Intensity and Opioid Consumption (PIOC)
Original publication
Efficacy of parasternal peripheral nerve catheters versus no block for median sternotomy: a single-centre retrospective study. BJA Open. Published 20 June 2024. doi:10.
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