Serratus anterior fascia plane block for pain control in patients with multiple rib fractures.
Ryota Katou, Tomoo Mano, Takashi Masuda
PMID 37670765WHAT IT FOUND
Three patients with multiple rib fractures received intermittent serratus anterior fascia plane blocks.
Pain scores dropped from severe to mild or absent, allowing them to get out of bed and perform respiratory physiotherapy. No adverse effects were reported.
Key findings
01All three patients experienced significant pain reduction after the block, with Numeric Rating Scale scores dropping to between 0 and 3.
02The reduction in pain allowed all three patients to get out of bed and perform respiratory physiotherapy the day after the procedure.
03Expiratory/inspiratory chest expansion improved in all three cases, with differences increasing from 0-1 to 2-3.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only three patients, so statistical validity could not be assessed. There was no control group, so it is impossible to determine if the improvement was due to the block or other factors. The location and number of fractures were not analyzed. The SAP block does not cover the medial precordial region, so it may not be effective for all rib fracture patterns.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and received no specific funding for this research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this block works for every rib fracture patient. It failed to provide analgesia in the medial chest area, and these results come from only three men with specific injury patterns.