title: General anaesthesia combined with bilateral paravertebral blockade (T5-6) vs. general anaesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective, randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficiency of bilateral paravertebral blockade combined with general anaesthesia (active) vs. general anaesthesia alone (control) in reducing postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy was evaluated using a prospective randomized study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomly assigned to either group. Nerve-stimulator guided paravertebral blockade at the T5-6 level was performed with a local anaesthetic mixture (0.30 mL kg(-1)). Twenty millilitres of the mixture contained lidocaine 2% 6 mL; lidocaine 2% 6 mL with epinephrine 1/200 000; bupivacaine 0.5% 5 mL; fentanyl 1 mL (50 microg mL(-1)) and clonidine 2 mL (150 microg mL(-1)). Postoperative pain and consumption of opioids were assessed during the first 72 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-times 30 patients were analysed. Patient characteristics data, and pre- and peroperative variables were similar in both groups. Mean pain scores visual analogue scale were significantly less with active compared with control (P < 0.05) at 6h (1.56 +/- 1.58 vs. 4.78 +/- 1.67), at 12 h (1.52 +/- 1.58 vs. 3.81 +/- 1.63), at 24 h (1.16 +/- 1.34 vs. 2.71 +/- 1.50), at 36h (0.68 +/- 1.02 vs. 2.29 +/- 1.41), at 48h (0.60 +/- 1.04 vs. 1.61 +/- 1.33) and at 72 h (0.40 +/- 0.86 vs. 1.19 +/- 1.16). The number of patients consuming supplemental analgesics was significantly less (P < 0.05) with active compared with control, at 6 h (6 vs. 29), at 12 h (2 vs. 26), at 24 h (1 vs. 23) and at 36 h (2 vs. 15). More patients were free from nausea (P < 0.05) with active compared with control at 6 h (23 vs. 9) and at 12 h (29 vs. 19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When used as a complement to general anaesthesia, bilateral nerve-stimulator guided paravertebral blockade with lidocaine, bupivacaine, fentanyl and clonidine may improve postoperative pain relief.
authors.affiliation: Makassed General Hospital, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon. zouhnaja@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Naja
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ziade
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lönnqvist
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D003000:Clonidine; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D003000:Clonidine; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine