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. 2017 Aug;61(8):643-648.
doi: 10.4103/ija.IJA_81_17.

Comparison of the post-operative analgesic effect of paravertebral block, pectoral nerve block and local infiltration in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy: A randomised double-blind trial

Kartik Syal  1 , Ankita Chandel  1
Affiliations

Comparison of the post-operative analgesic effect of paravertebral block, pectoral nerve block and local infiltration in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy: A randomised double-blind trial

Kartik Syal et al. Indian J Anaesth. 2017 Aug.

Abstract

Background and aims: Paravertebral block, pectoral nerve (Pecs) block and wound infiltration are three modalities for post-operative analgesia following breast surgery. This study compares the analgesic efficacy of these techniques for post-operative analgesia.

Methods: Sixty-five patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical status 1 or 2 undergoing modified radical mastectomy with axillary dissection were recruited for the study. All patients received 21 mL 0.5% bupivacaine with adrenaline in the technique which was performed at the end of the surgery prior to extubation. Patients in Group 1 (local anaesthetic [LA], n = 22) received infiltration at the incision site after surgery, Group 2 patients (paravertebral block [PVB], n = 22) received ultrasound-guided ipsilateral paravertebral block while Group 3 patients [PECT] (n = 21) received ultrasound-guided ipsilateral Pecs blocks I and II. Patients were evaluated for pain scores at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 h, duration of post-operative analgesia and rescue analgesic doses required. Non-normally distributed data were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Analysis of variance for normal distribution.

Results: The post-operative visual analogue scale scores were lower in PVB group compared with others at 0, 2, 4, 12 and 24 h (P < 0.05). Mean duration of analgesia was significantly prolonged in PVB group (P < 0.001) with lesser rescue analgesic consumption up to 24 h.

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided paravertebral block reduces post-operative pain scores, prolongs the duration of analgesia and decreases demands for rescue analgesics in the first 24 h of post-operative period compared to ultrasound-guided Pecs block and local infiltration block.

Keywords: Anaesthesia; analgesia; mastectomy; pain; post-operative.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of patients recruited and analysed in three groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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