Study Summary

60 patients with unilateral isolated rib fractures caused by trauma were randomized and analyzed. Patients received superficial serratus anterior plane block or intercostal nerve block in addition to standardized multimodal analgesia. The primary outcome of interest was the change in visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at rest and during coughing at 24 hours compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes included serial pain scores at predefined time points, additional tramadol consumption, patient satisfaction, and hemodynamic and respiratory parameters. Outcomes were assessed from baseline through 24 hours post-block. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated that while both techniques provided effective early analgesia, superficial serratus anterior plane block resulted in significantly greater and longer-lasting pain relief beyond 8 hours, with no need for additional opioid analgesia versus intercostal nerve block.