Modified Pectoral Nerves Block for Postoperative Analgesia After Modified Radical Mastectomy: Analysis of Efficacy

• Published in: Indian journal of surgery Vol. 83; no. Suppl 2; pp. 519 - 522
• Main Authors: Mane, Anupama, Zade, Bhooshan, Kanitkar, Rahul, Agashe, Ashok, Sane, Shrivallabh, Deshmukh, Sanjay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.06.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analgesics; Breast cancer; Bupivacaine; Cancer; Cancer surgery; Cardiac Surgery; Care and treatment; General anesthesia; Intubation; Mastectomy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurosurgery; Oncology, Experimental; Pain; Pediatric Surgery; Plastic Surgery; Postoperative period; Surgery; Surgical Techniques and Innovations; Thoracic Surgery; Modified radical mastectomy; Analgesia; Anesthesia; Pecs II block; Multi modal analgesia; Breast surgery
• ISSN: 0972-2068; 0973-9793
• DOI: 10.1007/s12262-020-02404-7

The modified pectoral nerves (Pecs II) block as a method of analgesia after breast cancer surgery has proven highly efficacious. This technique blocks the pectoral nerves, long thoracic nerve, thoracic intercostal nerves from T2–T6, and thoracodorsal nerve and can be effectively used as a postoperative analgesic after breast cancer surgeries. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Pecs II block given intraoperatively for pain relief in the postoperative period of patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy. The outcome after intraoperative Pecs II block administration was analyzed and compared in test (general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation with Pecs II block) and control (general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation only) groups of patients (50 each) scheduled to undergo modified radical mastectomy. In the postoperative period, the patients were evaluated using a visual analogue scale to determine pain scores at 6, 12, and 24 h, and their analgesic requirements were documented. Hundred patients (50 in each group), between the ages of 24 to 76 years (54.76 ± 10), were included in the study. There was no significant difference in ages or comorbidities for test and control groups. In the postoperative period, the test group had significantly lower median pain scores at 6 and 12 h as compared with control group. The modified pectoral nerves (Pecs II) block given intraoperatively is an effective technique for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy.