Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39754616›Full record

ReviewCurrent pain and headache reports2025

Efficacy of Transversus Thoracic Plane Block for Pain Management in Cardiac Surgeries.

Alan D Kaye, Carliss M Sampognaro, Shivam S Shah, Drake P Duplechin, Grant C Curry, Victoria A Rodriguez, Shahab Ahmadzadeh, Jibin Mathew, Zachary R Palowsky, Sahar Shekoohi

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current pain and headache reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Alan D KayeDepartments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Carliss M SampognaroSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Shivam S ShahSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Drake P DuplechinSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Grant C CurrySchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Victoria A RodriguezSchool of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Shahab AhmadzadehDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Jibin MathewDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Zachary R PalowskyDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA.
Sahar ShekoohiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, 71103, USA. sahar.shekoohi@lsuhs.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewEffective pain management in cardiac surgery presents as a continuous challenge related to the intensity of postoperative pain and reliance on opioid therapy. The dependance of opioid-based therapies is concerning, as these therapies carry risk future addiction and potential severe side effects. The transversus thoracic plane block (TTPB) has emerged as a promising regional anesthesia technique that blocks the anterior branches of the intercostal nerves in the chest wall, potentially providing improved analgesia for cardiac surgery patients. The present investigation evaluates the efficacy of TTPB in reducing opioid consumption, decreasing postoperative pain scores, and enhancing recovery outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries. RECENT

findingsData from randomized controlled trials revealed that TTPB significantly reduced 24-hour opioid consumption, increased the time to first rescue analgesic, and lowered Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores both at rest and with movement, particularly in the first 12 h post-surgery. Additional benefits include fewer opioid-related side effects, such as nausea and pruritus, and reductions in intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay. Studies also suggested that TTPB can support earlier extubation and accelerated recovery, contributing to higher patient satisfaction and overall improved postoperative outcomes.

conclusionDespite these promising results, challenges in technique standardization and limited long-term data are still obstacles that prevent widespread adoption. Achieving consistent TTPB efficacy requires technical precision in ultrasound guidance, and there is little research on its effectiveness across diverse populations, such as pediatric and high-risk cardiac patients. Addressing these gaps through multi-center, long-term studies could help establish TTPB as a prominent pain management strategy in cardiac surgery to minimize opioid dependence and enhance patient comfort and recovery.

Indexed as

Cardiac Surgical ProceduresNerve BlockPain ManagementPostoperative PainAnalgesics, OpioidHumansTreatment OutcomeAnalgesics, OpioidAnalgesiaCardiac surgeryOpioid consumptionPostoperative pain managementTransversus thoracic plane blockTTPB

Identifiers

PMID39754616

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.