Effect of Intercostal Nerve Block With Liposomal Bupivacaine on Quality of Recovery in VATS Partial Pneumonectomy

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Bupivacaine Hydrochloride: Single-dose, pre-procedural intercostal nerve block with bupivacaine hydrochloride, administered by thoracoscopy prior to surgery.

Bupivacaine liposome: Single-dose, pre-procedural intercostal nerve block with bupivacaine liposome, administered by thoracoscopy prior to surgery.

Study summary

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive approach for partial pneumonectomy, but postoperative pain remains a major challenge affecting recovery. Intercostal nerve block (ICNB) with conventional local anesthetics provides limited duration of analgesia, often insufficient to cover the peak pain period after surgery. Liposomal bupivacaine is a long-acting formulation designed to provide extended analgesia up to 72 hours. This study aims to evaluate the effect of preoperative ICNB with liposomal bupivacaine compared with conventional bupivacaine hydrochloride on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing VATS partial pneumonectomy. The primary outcome is the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 24 hours postoperatively. We hypothesize that liposomal bupivacaine ICNB results in superior recovery quality compared with conventional bupivacaine, with reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Postoperative Quality of Recovery at 24 hours — 24 hours after surgery
  Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) questionnaire. The scale includes 15 items across 5 domains: pain, physical comfort, physical independence, psychological support, and emotional state. Each item is scored from 0 to 10 (0 = worst possible recovery; 10 = best possible recovery). Total score ranges from 0 to 150, with higher scores indicating better recovery.

Trial sites (1)

Other trials for the same condition