Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of thoracic paravertebral block combined with general anesthesia on postoperative analgesia and immune cell function in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection surgery. Methods Eighty-seven patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer were divided into general anesthesia group (43 cases) and composite group (44 cases). The patients in the general anesthesia group accepted thoracoscopic lung resection surgery under simple static-general anesthesia; the patients in the composite group accepted the same treatment, but had thoracic nerve block before induction of anesthesia. All patients accepted patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after surgery. The dosages of Remifentanil during surgery, the VAS scores 2, 24 and 48 h after surgery, and the startup frequency of PCIA controlled button and infusion volume 24 and 48 h after surgery were recorded in both groups. Respectively, before induction of anesthesia in the general anesthesia group or before nerve block in the composite group (T0), at the time of tracheal extubation (T1), 24 (T2), 48 (T3) and 72 h (T4) after surgery, the T lymphocyte subsets CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and NK cells in blood were detected,and the CD4+/CD8+ values were calculated. Results The VAS scores 2 and 24 h after surgery in the composite group were lower than those in the general anesthesia group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The startup frequency of PCIA controlled button 24 and 48 h after surgery was lower and the dosages of Dezocine infusion in the composite group were smaller than those in the general anesthesia group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with T0, the cell levels of CD3+, CD4+ and NK and CD4+/CD8+ ratios at T1-T4 were decreased in the two groups, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the general anesthesia group, the levels of CD3+, CD4+ and NK cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio at T1-T4 were increased in the composite group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions Thoracic paravertebral block combined with general anesthesia could effectively reduce the postoperative pain after thoracoscopic lung resection surgery, also reduce the postoperative opioid consumption, and help to improve the immune function of the patients.