Intercostal Nerve Cryoablation as an Effective Pain Management Strategy in the Nuss Procedure: Reducing Opioid Use and Hospital Stay

This study suggests that INC can be a viable and cost-effective option for reducing postoperative opioid consumption and LOS in Nuss procedure patients. Pain perception was lower in the INC group compared with the rest of the groups, except the epidurals, which were similar. However, the opioid consumption of the INC group was significantly lower than any other group. Despite the INC group having higher initial costs, it did not result in the highest total hospital charges, indicating its potential cost-effectiveness. There is a need for larger prospective randomized controlled trials to guide future research efforts.