Intercostal nerve blockade producing analgesia after appendicectomy.

Intercostal nerve blockade of the 10th, 11th and 12th thoracic nerves on the right side was compared with i.m. papaveretum as analgesia after appendicectomy. Patients with intercostal nerve blockade had significantly less pain at 0, 4, 8 and 12 h after operation and required less papaveretum (mean 0.26 mg kg-1/24 h) compared with the controls (mean 0.62 mg kg-1/24 h). There were no complications in either group. Intercostal nerve blockade may provide better quality analgesia following appendicectomy than i.m. papaveretum alone.