ITPB 1 vs 3 in VATS

Patients will then be positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the side to be blocked facing upwards, the neck slightly flexed and the upper arm resting on the pillow for the USG ITPB. The thoracic intervertebral levels (T3, T5, T7) will be identified and marked on the patient. Ultrasound gel will be applied to the skin foracoustic coupling and the transducer is placed 2-3 cm lateral to the spinous process, at the target vertebral level, in the t After obtaining the target transverse ultrasound window at the articular process level, under strict aseptic precautions and local infiltration (Lignocaine 1%), a SonoTap nerve block needle (Pajunk, 22G, 80 mm, Pajunk, Geisingen, Germany) will be inserted in-plane and slowly advanced from a lateral to medial direction until its tip is located at the medial aspect of the retro-SCTL space. After negative heme aspiration, 25 ml of LA mixture containing 0.5% ropivacaine with 1: 200,000 adrenaline will be injected slowly in small aliquots.

Patients will then be positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the side to be blocked facing upwards, the neck slightly flexed and the upper arm resting on the pillow for the USG ITPB. After obtaining the target transverse ultrasound window at the inferior articular process level (described above) at the T7 level, under strict aseptic precautions and local infiltration (Lignocaine 1%), a SonoTap nerve block needle (Pajunk, 22G, 80 mm, Pajunk, Geisingen, Germany) will be inserted in-plane and slowly advanced from a lateral to medial direction until its tip is located at the medial aspect of the retro-SCTL space. After negative heme aspiration, 8 ml of LA mixture containing 0.5% ropivacaine with 1:200,000 adrenaline will be injected slowly in small aliquots. Subsequently, similar injections will be performed at T5 and T3 level with 8 ml and 9 ml LA mixture, respectively (Total LA mixture volume: 25 ml).