Erector spinae plane block versus thoracic paravertebral block for pain management after total bilateral mastectomies

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2021 May 10;34(5):571-574. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2021.1919003. eCollection 2021 Sep.ABSTRACTThis prospectively designed, clinical quality improvement project compared pain scores and opioid consumption between ultrasound-guided, erector spinae plane blocks (ESPB) and thoracic paravertebral blocks (PVB) in patients undergoing total bilateral mastectomies without reconstruction. Twenty-five patients were included in an enhanced recovery pathway and received an ESPB on one side and a PVB on the contralateral side. Numeric rating scores at rest and with movement for each side were recorded in the recovery room at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and on days 3 to 7. There were no significant differences in the resting or movement-evoked pain scores between sides receiving ESPB or PVB at any time point up to day 7 after surgery. Both ESPB and PVB confer equal analgesic effects in patients undergoing mastectomies. ESPB provides an alternative to PVB in reducing postoperative pain in patients undergoing mastectomy as part of an enhanced recovery pathway.PMID:34456475 | PMC:PMC8366932 | DOI:10.1080/08998280.2021.1919003

Source: Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings - August 30, 2021 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Jesse W Stewart Jenny Ringqvist Rachel D Wooldridge Deborah E Farr Mary Sunna Cedar Schulz John C Alexander Abu Minhajuddin Irina Gasanova Girish P Joshi Source Type: research