Initial Outcomes Using Cryoablation in Surgical Management of Slipping Rib Syndrome
Topic overview
Retrospective study of 98 pediatric patients demonstrates that intercostal nerve cryoablation during cartilaginous rib excision for slipping rib syndrome significantly reduces postoperative opioid use (0.6 vs 1.0 OME/kg) and hospital length of stay. Cryotherapy applied to T9/T10 nerves showed no abdominal wall complications and can be performed extra-thoracically without thoracoscopy.
Key takeaways
- Intercostal nerve cryoablation significantly reduces postoperative opioid use in slipping rib syndrome surgery (0.6 vs 1.0 OME/kg, p<0.05)
- Cryoablation can be safely applied extra-thoracically without thoracoscopy, avoiding need for lung isolation in standalone CRE procedures
- Cryotherapy to T9/T10 intercostal nerves did not cause abdominal wall laxity at median 16-day follow-up in 91% of patients
- Median length of stay trended shorter with cryoablation (1 day vs 2 days, p=0.09) in cartilaginous rib excision patients
- 90% of slipping rib syndrome patients received bioabsorbable rib plating, predominantly affecting female adolescents (median age 17 years)
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