Effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on postoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracoscopic partial lung resection: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.

TL;DR

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) reduced postoperative cough pain, resting pain, and opioid consumption in patients undergoing thoracoscopic partial lung resection, with no serious adverse events reported.

Key findings

• Active taVNS significantly reduced cough pain intensity at 24h, 48h, and 72h postoperatively and lowered incidence of moderate-to-severe cough pain in the first 48h
• Cumulative postoperative opioid use decreased at 24h and 72h with active taVNS, and rescue analgesia needs were lower on postoperative day 3
• Postoperative pneumothorax incidence was lower with active taVNS, though the clinical significance requires further investigation
• No serious adverse events occurred, supporting the safety profile of perioperative taVNS in this surgical population

Why this matters at the bedside

taVNS represents a noninvasive neuromodulation option for reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption after thoracoscopic lung resection, with potential additional benefit on postoperative complications, though multicenter validation is needed.