Post Minimally Invasive Thorascopic Surgical Pain Clinical Trial
Official title:
The Effect of Dexamethasone on the Duration and Functionality of Bupivacaine Intercostal Nerve Blockade
The proposed study is a randomized, double-blinded, non-placebo-controlled evaluation of the effect of the addition of dexamethasone to intraoperative intercostal nerve block bupivicaine solutions on the duration of pain relief and post operative pulmonary function.
Our study proposes two groups of 25 patients undergoing similar VATS surgery with a single surgeon, Dr. R. McKenna, who will receive interoperatively placed intercostal nerve blocks at the same levels. Each group will receive intercostals nerve blocks with one of two different solutions: group one will receive intercostal nerve blocks with only 0.46% bupivacaine (19.5 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine + .5 cc saline), group 2 will receive intercostal blocks with 0.46% bupivacaine and dexamethasone(19.5 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine + .5ml .4% dexamethasone). The patients will have pulmonary lung function objectively assessed by portable spirometry and clinical factors both preoperatively and postoperatively. Our study objective is to examine and quantify the potentially beneficial effects of intercostal nerve blockade prolongation with dexamethasone on postoperative pulmonary function and postoperative recovery. ;