ArticlePediatric blood & cancer2024
Intercostal nerve cryoablation reduces opioid utilization after thoracotomy in children with cancer.
Article in Pediatric blood & cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation Therapy in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery for Postoperative Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of intercostal nerve cryoablation on opioid use in pleural mesothelioma surgery: results from a high-volume integrated regional center.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Article
- Musculoskeletal Intervention in Children: An Update.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2026Review
- Pain Management in Pediatrics: What the IR has to Offer.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2025Review
- A Narrative Review of Pain in Pediatric Oncology: The Opioid Option for Procedural and Surgical Pain.Paediatric drugs · 2025Review
- Case Report: Cryoanalgesia for intractable thoracic pain due to chest wall tumor.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIntercostal nerve cryoablation (INC) has shown promise as an adjunct method for analgesia in adults undergoing thoracotomy, but has yet to be widely used in children for this indication. We hypothesize that INC decreases opioid utilization in children undergoing thoracotomy for cancer operations.
methodsA retrospective review was performed of children who underwent thoracotomy for cancer diagnosis at a freestanding children's hospital from 2018 to 2023. Patient characteristics, intraoperative data, and data on clinical course were collected. Patients were divided into those who underwent INC and those who underwent routine care for comparison.
resultsTwenty-six patients underwent 38 procedures at a median age of 16 years (range 5-21 years). INC was performed in 23 cases over a median of five intercostal levels (range 2-7). Total oral morphine equivalents during inpatient admission were significantly lower in INC patients (137.6 vs. 514.5 mg, p = .002). Routine care patients were more likely to be discharged with an opioid prescription (30.4% vs. 80.0%, p = .008). Length of stay was similar between patients with INC and routine care (4 vs. 5 days, p = .15). There were no differences in rates of reoperation or 30-day re-admission (emergency department or inpatient). CONCLUSTIONS: INC is a feasible and safe adjunct for children undergoing thoracotomy for cancer. INC is associated with reduced postoperative opioid utilization with respect to both inpatient use and outpatient prescriptions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.