Paravertebral Catheter Use for Postoperative Pain Control in Patients After Lung Transplant Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study

Following approval of the University of Minnesota Institutional Review Board, 33 consecutive adult patients (≥ 18 years of age) were observed from October 2013 to December 2014 who underwent either single or bilateral lung transplantation and received a continuous paravertebral block. The paravertebral catheters were placed within 1-2 day postoperatively in the intensive care unit. If the patient was too hemodynamically unstable or too critically ill to be placed in lateral decubitus position, the placement of the catheter was delayed or in some cases not performed (these patients were not included in study) They were placed via an in plane transverse technique. The ultrasound was placed on the patient's back at the T8-9 level with probe in transverse orientation. Then a 17-gauge tuohy needle was advanced lateral to medial in plane until beneath the transverse process upon which a test dose of 3-5 mL of 1.5% lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine was injected to see adequate spread. The catheter was then fed 1 centimeter past the tip of the tuohy needle and needle was withdrawn. All catheters were confirmed to be in correct position with real time local anesthetic injection and secured with skin glue and occlusive dressing. Each was performed with the patient in the left lateral decubitus position for the right catheter and right lateral decubitus position for the left catheter. The paravertebral catheters remained in place for up to seven days postoperatively in unilateral lung transplants and up to ten days postoperatively in bilateral lung transplants. During that time an infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine was infused at a rate of 0.2-0.25 ml/kg/hour through an elastomeric pump (ON Q Halyard Health).

The outcome measured were minimal and maximum pain scores from the first 7 days post paravertebral catheter placement (rated on an 11-point numeric rating scale; 0=no pain, 10=worst pain imaginable). The acute pain Nurse Practitioners, bedside nurses, or acute pain anesthesiology residents collected the pain scores. Additional outcomes of interest included postsurgical opioid use through postsurgical day 7, and length of hospital stay. Patients were asked daily if they experienced nausea/vomiting, however, Nursing notes and physician progress notes were also evaluated if patients experienced any adverse events or nausea and vomiting. Demographics such as age and weight were recorded in addition to length of surgery and time spent in the hospital before discharge.