OBJECTIVE: To evaluate systemic levels of bupivacaine after bilateral ultrasound-guided deep parasternal intercostal plan (PIP) block in cardiac surgical patients undergoing median sternotomy.
METHODS: Prospective, observational study SETTING: Single institution; academic university hospital PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-eight adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with median sternotomy received a PIP block with 2.5 mg/kg bupivacaine with or without dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine.
METHODS: Arterial blood samples were analyzed for total serum bupivacaine concentration at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 150 minutes after placement of PIP. Local anesthetic volume, local anesthetic adjuncts, time to extubation, postoperative pain scores, and opioid consumption were recorded.
RESULTS: The mean peak bupivacaine concentration was 0.60 ± 0.62 µg/mL, and the mean time to maximum concentration (Tmax) was 16.92 ± 12.97 minutes. Two patients (7.1%) had a concentration >2.0 µg/mL within 15 minutes of block placement. The mean Tmax of bupivacaine was significantly greater in patients who did not receive additives compared to those patients who did (22.86 ± 14.77 minutes v 10.0 ± 5.22 minutes; p = .004). The times to extubation and postoperative pain were not improved with additives.
CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral PIP placed at the end of cardiac surgery resulted in low systemic bupivacaine levels. The inclusion of additives shortened Tmax without improving outcome.

This study aimed to assess the effect of parasternal intercostal block on postoperative wound infection, pain, and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and Wanfang databases were extensively queried using a computer, and randomised controlled studies (RCTs) from the inception of each database to July 2023 were sought using keywords in English and Chinese language. Literature quality was assessed using Cochrane-recommended tools, and the included data were collated and analysed using Stata 17.0 software for meta-analysis. Ultimately, eight RCTs were included. Meta-analysis revealed that utilising parasternal intercostal block during cardiac surgery significantly reduced postoperative wound pain (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -1.01, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: -1.70 to -0.31, p = 0.005) and significantly shortened hospital stay (SMD = -0.40, 95% CI: -0.77 to -0.04, p = 0.029), though it may increase the risk of wound infection (OR = 5.03, 95% CI:0.58-44.02, p = 0.144); however, the difference was not statistically significant. The application of parasternal intercostal block during cardiac surgery can significantly reduce postoperative pain and shorten hospital stay. This approach is worth considering for clinical implementation. Decisions regarding its adoption should be made in conjunction with the relevant clinical indices and surgeon\'s experience.

UNASSIGNED: Pectoral nerve block I (PECS I) and serratus-intercostal plane block (SIPB) can anesthetize the majority mammary region, while parasternal intercostal block (PSI) targets the internal area during breast resection surgery. The aim of this study was to determine whether including PSI with PECS I and SIPB is more effective compared to PECS I and SIPB alone.
UNASSIGNED: Sixty-two adult females undergoing unilateral modified radical mastectomy (MRM) were randomly assigned to receive either PECS I and SIPB (PS group, n=31) or a combination of PECS I, SIPB, and PSI (PSP group, n=31). The outcomes were measured with a numerical rating scale (NRS) score, and in terms of opioid consumption and anesthesia-related complications within 48 h after surgery.
UNASSIGNED: Although there were no differences in the NRS scores between the two groups during the inactive periods, the combination of three nerve blocks significantly reduced the NRS scores during movement. In addition, morphine equivalent consumption was lower in the PSP group compared to the PS group. Postoperative adverse events were similar in both groups in terms of regional anesthesia-related complications.
UNASSIGNED: The combination of PECS I block, SIPB, and PSI block provides superior pain relief and postoperative recovery for patients undergoing MRM.