Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39282040›Full record

ArticleGland surgery2024

Cervical plexus block enhanced pain control for unilateral thermal ablation of thyroid nodules.

Matrix Man Him Fung, Yan Luk, Brian Hung Hin Lang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gland surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Effect of Bilateral Superficial Cervical Plexus Block on Postoperative Pain in Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2025
    Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Matrix Man Him FungDepartment of Surgery, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2812-0616
Yan LukDepartment of Surgery, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0164-5260
Brian Hung Hin LangDepartment of Surgery, the University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9362-0086

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Despite being minimally invasive, thermal ablation (TA) of thyroid nodules may still cause significant pain during and shortly afterwards. Conventional analgesia relies on perithyroidal local anesthesia (PLA) with or without sedation. The use of cervical plexus block (CPB) has been extensively studied in thyroidectomy, but never studied in TA of the thyroid gland. This study examined whether adding ultrasound-guided CPB to PLA and sedation could further reduce post-operative pain in unilateral TA of thyroid nodules. Methods: Consecutive patients aged ≥18 years undergoing unilateral radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or microwave ablation (MWA) of thyroid nodules were reviewed. Group I patients did not receive CPB, and Group II patients received CPB by bupivacaine injection between the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) and prevertebral fascia on the treatment side. Pain was charted immediately and 4 hours after ablation using a numeric rating scale (NRS) of 0-10. The Quality-of-Recovery-9 (QoR9) questionnaire was completed. Results: Over an 18-month period, 100 patients underwent unilateral thyroid ablation (Group I, n=50; Group II, n=50). Comparable baseline patient demographics, nodule characteristics, ablation parameters were noted (P>0.05). Significantly lower immediate NRS {1 [0-3] Conclusions: Adding ultrasound-guided CPB further enhanced pain control following unilateral TA of thyroid nodules, without compromising quality of recovery or same-day discharge.

Indexed as

cervical plexus block (CPB)painquality of recoveryradiofrequency ablation (RFA)Thyroid nodule

Identifiers

PMID39282040
PMCPMC11398995

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Registered trials

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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.