Comparison of the Rhomboid Intercostal Block and Serratus Posterior Superior Intercostal Plane Block

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Pain, Postoperative, Multimodal Analgesia, Rhomboid Intercostal Block, Serratus Posterior Superior Intercostal Plane Block, Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted

In brief

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is widely performed for the management of various thoracic pathologies and is generally associated with reduced surgical trauma compared with open thoracotomy. Nevertheless, patients may still experience considerable postoperative pain, which can adversely affect respiratory function, mobilization, and recovery. Various regional analgesic techniques have been incorporated into multimodal pain management strategies for VATS, including thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB), erector spinae plane block (ESPB), intercostal nerve block, serratus anterior plane block (SAPB), rhomboid intercostal block (RIB), and serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block (SPSIPB). Among these approaches, ultrasound-guided TPVB has traditionally been regarded as a reference regional analgesic technique. More recently, interfascial plane blocks have gained increasing attention because of their technical simplicity and favorable safety profile. RIB and SPSIPB are two novel interfascial plane blocks that may provide effective postoperative analgesia following thoracic surgery. The present study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy of RIB and SPSIPB in patients undergoing VATS and to evaluate their impact on postoperative pain outcomes.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07650877

Run by

Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

People needed

90

Starts

2026-06-15

Expected to finish

2026-11-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients undergoing elective VATS
• Patients aged 18-75 years
• Patients with ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class I-III
• Patients who have given informed consent

You may not qualify if…

• Patients allergic to local anesthetics
• Patients with bleeding disorders or those undergoing anticoagulant therapy
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women
• Patients with impaired consciousness, inability to communicate, or mental/cognitive impairment
• Patients who refuse block application
• Patients with infection in the area where the block will be applied

Where it is running

• Ankara City Hospital — Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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