Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) on sleep quality in elderly patients with lung cancer early after thoracoscopic surgery. Methods A total of 86 patients with lung cancer (ASA class I-III, aged 60-80 years) undergoing elective thoracoscopic surgery were randomized into stellate ganglion block (SGB) group (n=43) and control group (n=43) to receive ultrasound-guided right SGB with 7 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine at the C6-7 level and injection of 7 mL saline at the same site 30 min before anesthesia induction, respectively. On the day before surgery and the first two days after the surgery, sleep duration, sleep efficiency index (SEI) and N3 sleep stage of the patients were monitored using a BIS-Vista monitor, and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) scores were recorded. The plasma levels of norepinephrine and cortisol of the patients were measured before SGB (T1), at 5 min after extubation (T2) and at 6:00 on the first morning after the surgery (T4). Urine levels of 6-hydroxysulfate melatonin (6-HMS) were measured at 6:00 in the morning for 3 consecutive days starting on the day of surgery (T3, T4 and T5, respectively). VAS score, incidences of postoperative delirium and depression, sufentanil consumption after surgery, and discharge time of the patients were recorded. Results Thirty-six patients in SGB group and 35 in the control group were analyzed. In both groups, most of the patients had insomnia after surgery, but compared with those in the control group, the patients in SGB group had significantly longer sleep duration (P<0.05) with a higher sleep efficiency index (P<0.05) and a longer sleep time in N3 stage (P<0.05) on the first two nights after surgery. The mean postoperative AIS score and incidence of insomnia were significantly lower in SGB group than in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, SGB group showed significantly lower plasma levels of norepinephrine and cortisol at T2 and T4 (P<0.05), a higher urine level of 6-HMS at T5 (P<0.05), and a shorter discharge time after the surgery (P<0.05). The VAS scores, postoperative incidences of delirium and depression, or postoperative sufentanil consumption did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided SGB improves objective and subjective sleep quality in elderly patients early after thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer to alleviate stress responses and sleep disorders, reduce postoperative hospital stay, and accelerate postoperative recovery of the patients.

Key words: lung cancer; sleep disorders; stellate ganglion block; stress responses