Successful weaning from mechanical ventilation after Serratus Anterior Plane block in a chest trauma patient

Abstract

Objectives: Chest trauma is associated with severe pain, which can hamper normal breathing. Serratus Anterior Plane block (SAPB) is a novel technique, which provides analgesia for chest wall surgery. We describe an interesting clinical case about the use of SAPB to improve pain and pulmonary function in a patient with severe chest trauma.

Case presentation: We report the pain management and the clinical evolution of a patient in ICU, with a severe chest trauma, after performing the SAPB. Following the SAPB, the patient had a reduction in pain intensity and an improvement in both respiratory mechanics and blood gas analysis allowing a weaning from mechanical ventilator.

Conclusions: Pain control greatly affects mortality and morbidity in patients with chest trauma. SAPB seems to be safer and equally effective in pain control compared to epidural analgesia in patients with chest trauma.

Keywords: Serratus Anterior Plane block; chest trauma; rib fractures.