HEALTH

Finding the Better Pain Relief for Ear Surgeries

Wed Jul 02 2025

Study Overview

  • Objective: Compare the effectiveness of the superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) and intravenous morphine for pain management after ear surgeries.
  • Participants: 100 patients, divided into two groups:
  • Group 1: Received the nerve block.
  • Group 2: Received morphine.

Key Findings

  • Pain Scores: The nerve block group reported lower pain levels for up to 24 hours post-surgery.
  • Additional Medication: The nerve block group required less additional pain medication.
  • Duration of Relief: The nerve block provided longer-lasting pain relief compared to morphine.
  • Surgery Duration: Surgeries in the morphine group took longer, though the reason is unclear.
  • Side Effects: Both groups had similar rates of nausea, vomiting, and sedation.

Conclusion

  • The nerve block was not worse than morphine for pain relief after ear surgeries.
  • Potential Alternative: The nerve block could be a viable alternative to morphine for postoperative pain management.
  • Further Research Needed: More studies are required to confirm and expand these findings.

questions

    If SCPB is better, why not just block the whole body and skip the surgery altogether?
    Is there any evidence that the results of this study were influenced by external factors or biases?
    Could the longer duration of surgery in the morphine group be a result of deliberate manipulation to favor SCPB?

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