The Effects of Combined Serratus Anterior Plane Block on Postoperative Acute Pain After Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) has begun to be performed frequently in recent years. Compared to sternotomy, MISC reduces the risk of mediastinitis, leaves a more aesthetic scar, facilitates postoperative rehabilitation, and shortens the hospital stay. MICS requires a thoracic incision in the right 4th or 5th intercostal space. This incision causes intense and long-lasting pain in the postoperative period. Pain is exacerbated by breathing movements, coughing, and respiratory physiotherapy.

Postoperative analgesia is a critical risk factor for the development of pulmonary and cardiovascular complications in any type of cardiothoracic surgery. If patients with high pain levels cannot breathe effectively, it may lead to atelectasis, cardiac ischemia, and arrhythmias. This prolongs the time it takes for patients to be discharged and increases the frequency of postoperative pulmonary complications and postoperative morbidity.

In addition to intravenous medications, various neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks can be used in cardiac surgery. In recent years, thoracic epidural analgesia has been avoided due to the use of intraoperative high-dose heparin. As an alternative, peripheral nerve blocks have recently gained popularity. SAPB is one of them. SAPB can be applied in three ways. While deep SAPB (DSAPB) is applied under the serratus anterior muscle, superficial SAPB (SSAPB) is applied above the serratus anterior muscle. Combined SAPB (CSAPB) is applied both below and above the serratus anterior muscle. These blocks can be performed with a single injection anywhere between the second and seventh ribs on the lateral chest wall.

In this study, the analgesic effects of ultrasound-guided CSAPB application in patients undergoing MICS will be evaluated.