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. 2025 Aug 18.
doi: 10.1007/s11695-025-08154-3. Online ahead of print.

The Effect of Ultrasound-Guided Multipoint Thoracic Paravertebral Nerve Block in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS): A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Lijuan Li  1 , Jing Wang  1 , Tao Hu  2 , Junmei Xu  3 , Jiapeng Huang  4
Affiliations

The Effect of Ultrasound-Guided Multipoint Thoracic Paravertebral Nerve Block in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (MBS): A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Lijuan Li et al. Obes Surg. .

Abstract

Background: The study aims to compare the effects of multipoint thoracic paravertebral block combined with general anesthesia to general anesthesia alone in metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS).

Methods: A total of 80 patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the Thoracic Paravertebral Block group (TPVB group) and the General Anesthesia group (GA group). The TPVB group received multipoint TPVB combined with GA bilaterally at the T6 and T9 levels, while the GA group received only GA. The primary outcome was the quality of recovery scores (QoR-15) at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively, while secondary outcomes included NRS scores at different time points postoperatively, intraoperative sufentanil consumption, cumulative consumption of postoperative rescue analgesics, postoperative hospital length of stay, postoperative extubation time, time to first flatus and urination, and complications related to the nerve block.

Results: The QoR-15 scores at 24 h and 48 h were significantly higher in TPVB group compared with GA group [24 h: 127.0(124.0,129.0) vs 113.0(109.0,115.0), 48 h: 139.0(137.0,141.0) vs 132.5(126.0,135.0) (P < 0.001)]. The NRS scores in the TPVB group were significantly lower than the GA group at different time points postoperatively (P < 0.05). The intraoperative sufentanil use was significantly less in the TPVB group and the TPVB group required less rescue analgesia (P < 0.05). The extubation time and first flatus time were significantly shorter in the TPVB group than in the GA group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Multipoint TPVB improves the quality of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) and reduces postoperative pain and opioid use.

Keywords: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS); Pain; Paravertebral block; Quality of postoperative recovery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

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