Regional Anaesthsia

This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of different postoperative analgesic strategies in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Patients were allocated into three groups receiving either conventional analgesia alone, parasternal block in addition to conventional analgesia, or combined parasternal and adductor canal blocks with conventional analgesia. The study aims to compare postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, and recovery outcomes among the groups in order to determine whether the addition of regional anesthesia techniques, particularly the combined block approach, provides superior analgesia and enhances postoperative recovery following CABG surgery.

Successful peripheral nerve blockade is fundamental to modern regional anesthesia, particularly for upper limb surgeries. Ensuring the efficacy of a nerve block early in the perioperative period is critical, as delayed recognition of block failure may lead to intraoperative pain, the need for additional sedation or general anesthesia, and overall poorer patient outcomes. Conventional methods for assessing block success, such as sensory testing with pinprick or cold stimuli and motor assessment using strength scales, require patient cooperation and often take 15-30 minutes to yield definitive results. These delays are especially limiting in fast-paced surgical environments or when early decisions regarding anesthesia management are necessary. Emerging non-invasive monitoring technologies offer promising alternatives for the early, objective assessment of block efficacy. Infrared Thermography (IRT) measures skin surface temperature, which increases due to sympathetic nerve blockade-induced vasodilation.