Use of Dextran and Magnesium in Thoracic Paravertebral Block for Thoracic Surgery: A Case Report

Thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) is recommended by the Procedure Specific Postoperative Pain Management (PROSPECT) working group for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Although perineural magnesium and dextran have been used to prolong block duration, combined use is not reported in the literature. In this case report, the author combined dextran and magnesium with levobupivacaine in TPVB as part of multimodal analgesia for a patient with recurrent lung cancer undergoing VATS, which resulted in satisfactory pain control and sensory blockade up to 3 days postoperatively. Nonetheless, the findings of this study are at most exploratory and call for further research to prove the efficacy and safety of this combination.