Role of pre-incisional external bilateral ultrasound guide glossopharyngeal nerve block with diluted bupivacaine mixture in pain management in oropharyngeal surgery: A randomized control trial.

Abstract

The glossopharyngeal nerve block (GNB) was evaluated for pain control together with the magnitude of obtunded gag reflex as a useful clinical sign of GNB.

METHODS:

400 patients scheduled for oropharyngeal surgery were randomly allocated into 2 groups (200 patients in each group), Group1 patients received bilateral GNB with 0.125% bupivacaine, 0.5 xylocaine, and 4 mg dexamethasone, while Group 2 patients were enrolled as a control group. Throat pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale at 0.5, 8, and 24 h after surgery, and the degree of gag reflex response was evaluated at the same time points.

RESULTS:

Postoperative pain scores at rest and during swallowing were significantly lower in Group 1 versus Group 2. The analgesic efficacy of GNB was intensely interrelated with the magnitude of the obtunded gag reflex (P 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

GNB is beneficial for pain control in oropharyngeal surgery. An obtunded gag reflex could be a useful clinical sign for a successful GNB analgesic outcome.

• Authors: Mohammad Al Katatbeh, Laith Khasawneh, Yazan Al-Mashakbeh, Wael Hassaan, Hamdy Hendawy, Mohamed Abuelnaga, Ahmed Sweed
• Journal: American journal of otolaryngology (Am J Otolaryngol) 2022 May-Jun Vol. 43 Issue 3 Pg. 103468 ISSN: 1532-818X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35429850 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Analgesics
• Anesthetics, Local
• Bupivacaine

Topics

• Analgesics
• Anesthetics, Local
• Bupivacaine
• Double-Blind Method
• Gagging
• Glossopharyngeal Nerve
• Humans
• Nerve Block
• Pain Management
• Pain, Postoperative (drug therapy, etiology, prevention & control)