TITLE:
PECS Block Provides Effective Postoperative Pain Management for Breast Cancer Surgery—A Retrospective Study
AUTHORS:
Ichikawa Yuki, Hironobu Ueshima, Hiroshi Otake, Akira Kitamura
KEYWORDS:
Pectoral Nerves Block, Postoperative Pain Management, Breast Cancer Surgery
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.8 No.3,
March
31,
2017
ABSTRACT: We investigated the efficacy of ultrasound-guided pectoral nerves (PECS) block for modified radical mastectomy surgery retrospectively. Methods: We measured that pain scores and the use of additional analgesic drugs were recorded in the postoperative care unit within 24 hours after the operation. Postoperative complications (i.e., nausea and vomiting) were noted. Results: Patients who received the PECS block under general anesthesia (PECS group) reported lower visual analog scale pain scores at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 hours after the operation than patients who did not receive PECS block under general anesthesia (control group). Moreover, the use of additional analgesic drugs during the first 24 hours after surgery was lower in the PECS group than in the control group. While in the postoperative care unit, the PECS group had less nausea and vomiting than the control group. Conclusion: The PECS block provides effective postoperative analgesia within the first 24 hours after breast cancer surgery.