Serratus Plane Block in Preventing Postoperative Pain of Mastectomy

The Effect of Serratus Plane Block in Preventing Postoperative Pain and Chronic Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery

A prospective, double-blinded randomized controlled, 1-year follow-up study was designed to compare the analgesic effect of serratus plane block (SPB) after breast cancer surgery. Women undergoing radical mastectomy were dIvided into Control group and SPB group. The postoperative acute pain was evaluated by numerical rating scale (NRS) and the effect of preventing chronic pain was assessed at 3, 6, 12 months after surgery by NRS.

Inclusion Criteria:

• women undergoing radical mastectomy with either sentinel lymph node dissection or axillary lymph node dissection or no axillary lymph node dissection
• between the ages of 18 and 85 yr
• with an American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) physical status I or II
• without any significant cardiopulmonary, renal and hepatic dysfunction

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with any previous cancer other than breast cancer
• occurrence of allergy to local anesthetics
• occurrence of opioid-tolerant subjects
• occurrence of consuming analgesics, sedatives, antidepressants or any history of substance abuse before surgery