Effect of Intercostal Nerve Block With Liposomal Bupivacaine on Quality of Recovery in VATS Partial Pneumonectomy

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive approach for partial pneumonectomy, but postoperative pain remains a major challenge affecting recovery. Intercostal nerve block (ICNB) with conventional local anesthetics provides limited duration of analgesia, often insufficient to cover the peak pain period after surgery. Liposomal bupivacaine is a long-acting formulation designed to provide extended analgesia up to 72 hours. This study aims to evaluate the effect of preoperative ICNB with liposomal bupivacaine compared with conventional bupivacaine hydrochloride on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing VATS partial pneumonectomy. The primary outcome is the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score at 24 hours postoperatively. We hypothesize that liposomal bupivacaine ICNB results in superior recovery quality compared with conventional bupivacaine, with reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption.

NCT Number	NCT07512635
Lead Sponsor	Sanming First Hospital
Conditions	Pulmonary Nodule, Liposomal Bupivacaine
Enrollment	96 participants
Start Date	2026-04-06
Primary Completion	2027-04-07 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-04-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-18