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Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to continuous erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary nodule surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Liang Fang·Haolin Zhang·Jia Nie·Yiyong Wei·Huanhuan Ma·Peng Lu·Yu Zhang·Wei Chen·Haiying Wang
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: While dexamethasone is proven to enhance single-shot erector spinae plane block (ESPB), its role as an adjuvant in continuous ESPB catheters is unclear. This randomised controlled trial evaluated whether adding dexamethasone to ropivacaine improves analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). METHODS: 85 patients undergoing VATS with continuous ESPB were randomised to receive postoperative infusion of either 0.2% ropivacaine(C-ESPB group) or ropivacaine with 10&#x2009;mg dexamethasone(D&#x2009;+&#x2009;C-ESPB group). The primary outcome was resting pain visual analog scale (VAS)at 12&#x2009;h postoperatively, while secondary outcomes included QoR-15 scores, tramadol consumption, time to first analgesic requirement, postoperative adverse events, 3-month incidence of chronic pain, catheter-related complications, pain intensity at other times, and hospital stay. RESULTS: The D&#x2009;+&#x2009;C-ESPB group had significantly lower resting pain at 12&#x2009;h [2.56 (1.03) vs 3.24 (1.21), mean difference -0.680, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.006]; and lower coughing pain at 12&#x2009;h [4.60 (1.48) vs 5.69 (1.35), mean difference 1.086, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001], with analgesic superiority sustained through 72&#x2009;h. Quality of Recovery-15 scores were higher at 12&#x2009;h [124.70 (12.48) vs 117.26 (12.24); mean difference -7.436, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.007] and 48&#x2009;h [141.60 (5.51) vs 138.98 (6.64); mean difference -2.628, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.050]; Total tramadol consumption over 72&#x2009;h was markedly reduce [0 (0,100) vs 100 (75,100), z&#xa0;=&#xa0;-3.807, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001], and hospital stay was shorter [Mean (SD) 6.09 (1.34)&#xa0;d vs 6.93 (1.55)d, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001]. The intervention did not, however, alter the 3-month incidence of chronic postsurgical pain (31% vs 34%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.756). CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone significantly enhances the analgesic efficacy of continuous ESPB, improving early pain control, recovery quality, and opioid-sparing after VATS, but does not reduce the incidence of chronic persistent surgical pain.

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HumansPostoperative PainFemaleThoracic Surgery, Video-AssistedNerve BlockDexamethasoneMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementRopivacaineAgedAnesthetics, LocalTreatment OutcomeParaspinal MusclesCatheterdexamethasoneerector spinae plane blockpostoperative painquality of recoveryvideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgeryJournal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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Liang Fang, Haolin Zhang, Jia Nie, Yiyong Wei, Huanhuan Ma, Peng Lu, Yu Zhang, Wei Chen, Haiying Wang. 2026-02-12. Dexamethasone as an adjuvant to continuous erector spinae plane block for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary nodule surgery: a randomized controlled trial.. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2026.2625547

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Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't resourceAged subjectAnesthetics, Local subjectCatheter subjectDexamethasone subjectFemale subjectHumans subjectJournal Article subjectMale subjectMiddle Aged subjectNerve Block subjectPain Measurement subjectParaspinal Muscles subjectRandomized controlled trials studyerector spinae plane block subject

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