Breast surgery is frequently associated with post-operative nausea, vomiting, pain and painful restricted movement. Paravertebral block may be an alternative to general anesthesia for this type of surgery. We studied the efficacy and safety of paravertebral block technique for the operative treatment of breast cancer and compared post-operative pain relief, length of hospital stay, patient satisfaction, incidence of nausea and vomiting in paravertebral block to general anesthesia. Methods: After written informed consent was obtained from 37 female patients due for modified radical mastectomy, 19 women were randomly allocated to receive paravertebral block, while 18 women received general anesthesia. During monitored sedation, paravertebral blocks opposite spinous processes C6-T7 were performed using bupivacaine 0.5 percent (maximum dose = 3 mgs/kg) with epinephrine, 3-4 ml per segment. Results: Post-operative pain score (VAS) at rest, with deep breathing and coughing; requirement for analgesics; and incidence of nausea were lower in the paravertebral group. There was no difference between groups in the mean length of hospital stay post operation to discharge and incidence of vomiting and other side effects. There was greater patient satisfaction in the paravertebral group. Conclusion: Paravertebral block is an effective and safe alternative to general anesthesia with less pain, less nausea and greater patient satisfaction.
Human ; Female ; ANESTHESIA ; ANALGESIA ; ANESTHESIA, GENERAL ; BREAST NEOPLASMS ; PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE