Paravertebral Block Improves Pain Control For Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Scott Byram, MD

San Francisco—Percutaneous nephrolithotomy to remove large kidney stones may be minimally invasive, but the pain that typically follows is anything but minimal. According to a recent study, however, the use of a paravertebral block could be an effective strategy for pain reduction in patients undergoing this procedure.

In the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the use of paravertebral block prior to percutaneous nephrolithotomy, patients