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Review
. 2025 May 15;29(1):84.
doi: 10.1007/s11916-025-01398-9.

Pecto-Intercostal Fascial Plane Block for Pain Management after Cardiothoracic Surgery

Alan D Kaye  1 , Christopher A Vuong  2 , Alison M Hawkins  3 , Macie A Serio  3 , Drew R Dethloff  3 , Alex V Hollander  3 , Shahab Ahmadzadeh  4 , Kimberly L Skidmore  4 , Zachary R Palowsky  4 , Sahar Shekoohi  5
Affiliations
Review

Pecto-Intercostal Fascial Plane Block for Pain Management after Cardiothoracic Surgery

Alan D Kaye et al. Curr Pain Headache Rep. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: Cardiac surgery is associated with significant postoperative pain. Compared to traditional analgesics, regional nerve blocks target specific anatomical areas to improve analgesia and to reduce postoperative opioid consumption.

Recent findings: Pecto-intercostal fascial plane block (PIFB) is a novel analgesic technique that involves ultrasound-guided injection of anesthetic between pectoralis major and external intercostal muscles. Since PIFB is a relatively underexplored method of analgesia, to date, few manuscripts have reviewed and synthesized current literature related to PIFB.

Conclusion: The present investigation focuses on relevant anatomy and physiology behind the PIFB, compares this novel technique with other traditional and novel methods of analgesia, and describes indications and contraindications for PIFB in cardiac surgery and other surgeries.

Keywords: Analgesic technique; Cardiothoracic surgery; Pain management; Pecto-intercostal fascial plane block (PIFB).

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics Approval: This article is based on previously conducted studies and does not contain any new studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. Competing Interests: ADK is a section editor for CPHRs.

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