TO STUDY OPIOID SPARING EFFECT OF PECTORALIS PLANE BLOCK WHEN USED WITH GENERALANAESTHESIA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING ELECTIVE MODIFIED RADICAL MASTECTOMY

Abstract

Introduction: Breast carcinoma is one the most common carcinoma in our country. MRM is thus one of the most commonly performed surgery. Adequate pain relief is of outmost importance for patient's wellbeing and early recovery. Various methods are used to provide analgesia like drugs, blocks, regional anaesthesia etc. Most commonly used drugs for this purpose are opioids but they have their own related side effects mainly post-operative. To come over those side effects, we have used PEC blocks in our study for pain relief. Materials and Methods: This prospective randomised controlled study was conducted in 60, ASA 1, 2 patients, planned for Modied Radical Mastectomy (MRM) under general anesthesia. After approval from institution scientic and research committee, and obtaining written informed consent, the patients were randomly divided into two groups (A and B). Group A (N=30), received general anaesthesia with i.v. fentanyl at the dose of 2microgram/kg BW. Group B (N=30) received general anaesthesia with PEC block and i.v. paracetamol at dose of 15mg/kg. The intraoperative hemodynamics, total amount of opioids used intraoperatively, time of rst rescue analgesia, total consumption of analgesics in 24 hours after completion of surgery and side effects were noted and compared between the two groups. Results: time of rst rescue analgesic was signicantly more in B than group A. total consumption of opioids was signicantly more in group B when compared with group A. Opioids related side effects were spared in group B when compared with group A. Conclusion: PEC blocks can be used effectively for intra-operative and post-operative pain relief in patients undergoing MRM under general anaesthesia thereby decreasing the incidence of opioids related side-effects