Serratus anterior and pectoralis plane blocks for robotically assisted mitral valve repair. Response to Br J Anaesth 2023; 131:e126-7

Editor—In their comment on our paper, 1 Alfirevic A. Marciniak D. Duncan A.E. et al. Serratus anterior and pectoralis plane blocks for robotically assisted mitral valve repair: a randomised clinical trial. Br J Anaesth. 2023; 130: 786-794 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar Xue and colleagues 2 Xue F.S. Gao X. Li C.W. Serratus anterior and pectoralis plane blocks for robotically assisted mitral valve repair: a randomised clinical trial. Comment on Br J Anaesth. 2023; 130 (Br J Anaesth 2023; 131:e126-7): 786-794 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (10) Google Scholar assert that the Overall Benefit of Analgesia Score (OBAS) lacks validation for minimally invasive cardiothoracic operations. However, there is nothing procedure-specific in the OBAS score, which is a general measure of opioid effect. It has been validated for numerous procedures and nothing in the scoring system suggests that it needs specific validation for each type of surgery. 3 Lehmann N. Joshi G.P. Dirkmann D. et al. Development and longitudinal validation of the overall benefit of analgesia score: a simple multi-dimensional quality assessment instrument. Br J Anaesth. 2010; 105: 511-518 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (53) Google Scholar Consequently, the OBAS has been used as an outcome measure for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, which is similar to the approach used in our patients. 4 Qiu Y. Lu X. Liu Y. Chen X. Wu J. Efficacy of the intraoperative opioid-sparing anesthesia on quality of patients' recovery in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a randomized trial. J Thorac Dis. 2022; 14: 2544-2555 Crossref PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar OBAS is a commonly used patient-centred outcome and is perfectly appropriate for patients having cardiothoracic operations. Serratus anterior and pectoralis plane blocks for robotically assisted mitral valve repair: a randomised clinical trial. Comment on Br J Anaesth 2023; 130: 786–94British Journal of AnaesthesiaVol. 131Issue 4PreviewEditor—In a single-centre randomised controlled trial including 194 patients who underwent robotically assisted mitral valve repair, Alfirevic and colleagues1 showed that combined pectoralis II and serratus anterior plane blocks did not improve postoperative analgesia assessed by overall benefit analgesia score (OBAS) and respiratory mechanics, and did not decrease cumulative opioid consumption during the initial three postoperative days. Their results are in accord with the findings of two recent studies of patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery and coronary artery bypass surgery. Full-Text PDF