Methods: Between January 2016 and January 2019, a total of 63 pediatric patients (37 males, 26 females; mean age 34.8±26.8 months; range, 2 to 96 months) who underwent corrective congenital heart surgery for atrial septal defect closure through a right lateral mini-thoracotomy were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups as those (Group 1, n=33) receiving intercostal nerve block and general anesthesia and those (Group 2, n=30) receiving general anesthesia alone. Intravenous morphine at a dose of 0.03 mg/kg was applied as rescue analgesia to the patients with a Ramsay Sedation Scale score of >4 and Children"s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale score of >7. The total analgesic requirement, adverse effects, duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the intensive care unit were recorded.

Results: The mean duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay was shorter in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (3.6±1.3 vs. 9.4±2.1 h; 23±2.6 vs. 30±7.2 h, respectively) (p<0.0001). The need for postoperative rescue analgesia was statistically significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (0.3±0.5 mg vs. 1.1±0.9 mg, respectively) (p=0.003). The mean total morphine consumption was also lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (4.0±2.2 mg vs. 9.0±3.4 mg, respectively) (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Intercostal nerve block before thoracotomy closure in pediatric patients undergoing atrial septal defect repair under mini-thoracotomy provides early extubation, shorter mechanical ventilation duration and intensive care unit stay, and reduced analgesic requirements.