International Journal of Radiation Research

en Ultrasound-guided paravertebral nerve block for pain management in pediatric patients undergoing radiotherapy for mediastinal tumors Radiation Biology Radiation Biology تحقيق بديع Original Research <div style="text-align: justify;">Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided paravertebral nerve block (PVB) in reducing radiotherapy-associated pain in pediatric patients with mediastinal tumors. Materials and Methods: Thirty children (ages 1-16) receiving radiotherapy after mediastinal tumor surgery were randomly assigned to two groups: control (routine analgesia, n=15) and observation (ultrasound-guided PVB, n=15). Radiotherapy was delivered to the mediastinal region using conventional fractionated external beam protocols (2 Gy per fraction, total dose 40-60 Gy). Pain intensity was assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at 0-, 12-, 24-, and 48-hours post-radiotherapy. Analgesic consumption, time to first rescue analgesic, incidence of radiotherapy-related side effects (skin irritation, fatigue), recovery time, and adverse reactions were compared between groups. Results: The observation group had significantly lower VAS scores at all time points compared to controls (p<0.05). Time to first rescue analgesic was longer (7.61±0.64 vs. 4.35±0.52 h, p<0.01), and overall analgesic use was reduced in the PVB group (p<0.05). Radiotherapy-related side effects, including skin irritation (13.3% vs. 40%) and fatigue (26.6% vs. 53.3%), were less frequent in the PVB group (p<0.05). Recovery outcomes were also improved, with shorter ICU stays and earlier resumption of daily activities (p<0.05). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided PVB is an effective adjunct for managing radiotherapy-induced pain in pediatric mediastinal tumor patients. It reduces pain scores, prolongs analgesia, lowers radiotherapy-related side effects, and accelerates recovery, providing a safer and more effective approach to pediatric pain management.</div> Radiotherapy, Mediastinal Neoplasms, Pain Management, Ultrasonography, Pediatric Patients. 199 204 http://ijrr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-1476&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Y. Lin 7900319475328460032949 7900319475328460032949 Yes Department of Anesthesiology, Baoding Hospital of Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Baoding, China T-F. Qu 7900319475328460032950 7900319475328460032950 No Department of Anesthesiology, Baoding No.2 Central Hospital, Baoding, China S. Li 7900319475328460032951 7900319475328460032951 No Operating Room, Baoding No.2 Central Hospital, Baoding, China J-U Xu 7900319475328460032952 7900319475328460032952 No Department of Anesthesiology, Baoding No.2 Central Hospital, Baoding, China H-Q. Jin 7900319475328460032953 7900319475328460032953 No Department of Operation and Anaesthesia, Baoding Hospital of Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Baoding, China