Pain Control After VATS Anatomical Pulmonary Resections

In patients undergoing minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, or VATS), moderate to severe post-operative pain may often be experienced. The presence of pain negatively affects the perceived quality of care and can predispose to complications, as the development of chronic pain. In order to prevent post-operative pain, different multimodal pain treatment protocols are applied, consisting in combinations of local-regional anesthesiological techniques and intravenous medications. Regional anesthesia is considered essential to prevent pain in the immediate post-operative period. However, to date, there is no agreement regarding which is the most effective regional anesthesiological technique; therefore, the choice is usually based on the Anesthetist's preferences. The aim of this study is to compare three regional anesthesiological techniques (cryoanalgesia, epidural anesthesia, and erector spinae muscle plane block) routinely used during thoracoscopic lung surgery.