Background The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of regional anesthesia using paravertebral block (PVB) on postoperative pain after breast surgery. Methods Patients undergoing unilateral breast surgery without reconstruction were randomized to general anesthesia (GA) only or PVB with GA and pain scores assessed. Results Eighty patients were randomized (41 to GA and 39 to PVB with GA). Operative times were not significantly different between groups. Pain scores were lower after PVB compared to GA at 1 hour (1 versus 3, p=0.006) and 3 hours (0 versus 2, p=0.001), but not at later time points. The overall worst pain experienced was lower with PVB (3 versus 5, p=0.02). More patients were pain free in the PVB group at 1 hour (44% versus 17%, p=0.014) and 3 hours (54% versus 17%, p=0.005) postoperatively. Conclusions Paravertebral block significantly decreases postoperative pain up to 3 hours after breast cancer surgery. Summary This paper reports on the findings from a prospective randomized trial of paravertebral block (PVB) for breast surgery. Paravertebral block significantly decreased postoperative pain up to 3 hours after breast cancer surgery.

This retrospective study does not support the hypothesis that the use of regional analgesia is associated with longer survival after surgery for breast cancer.

Thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) in breast surgery can provide regional anesthesia during and after surgery with the potential advantage of decreasing postoperative pain. We report our institutional experience with PVB over the initial 8 months of use. All patients undergoing breast operations at the ambulatory care building from September 09, 2005 to June 28, 2005 were reviewed. Comparison was performed between patients receiving PVB and those who did not. Pain scores were assessed immediately, 4 hours, 8 hours and the morning after surgery. 178 patients received PVB and 135 patients did not. Patients were subdivided into three groups: Group A-segmental mastectomy only (n = 89), Group B-segmental mastectomy and sentinel node surgery (n = 111) and Group C-more extensive breast surgery (n = 113). Immediately after surgery there was a statistically significant difference in the number of patients reporting pain between PVB patients and those without PVB. At all time points up until the morning after surgery PVB patients were significantly less likely to report pain than controls. Patients in Group C who received PVB were significantly less likely to require overnight stay. The average immediate pain scores were significantly lower in PVB patients than controls in both Group B and Group C and approached significance in Group A. PVB in breast surgical patients provided improved postoperative pain control. Pain relief was improved immediately postoperatively and this effect continued to the next day after surgery. PVB significantly decreased the proportion of patients that required overnight hospitalization after major breast operations and therefore may decrease cost associated with breast surgery.

Therapeutic, II.