LAUSR

INTRODUCTION Postoperative acute and chronic pain following breast surgery is a common complication which needs resolving to allow for improved patient outcomes. Previously thoracic epidurals and paravertebral blocks (PVB) have been the gold standard administered intra-operatively. However, more recently the introduction of the Pectoral nerve block (PECS and PECS-2 blocks) has looked promising to control the pain more effectively, but further robust analysis is required to prove its efficacy. OBJECTIVES The authors aim to study the efficacy of a new block S-PECS that combines a serratus anterior and a PECS-2 block. METHODS In this study we performed a prospective, single-centre randomised controlled double-blind group trial in 30 female patients undergoing breast augmentation surgery with silicone breast implants and the S-PECS block. Divided into groups of 15, the PECS group received local anaesthetics with the no-PECS control group receiving a saline injection. All participants were followed up at recovery (REC), 4, 6 and 12 (4H, 6H and 12H) hourly postoperatively. RESULTS Our results showed that the pain score in the PECS group was significantly less than the no-PECS group across all time points REC, 4H, 6H and 12H. Furthermore, the patients that received the S-PEC block were 74% less likely to request pain medications compared to the no-PECS group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Overall, the modified S-PECS block is an effective, efficient and safe method of controlling pain in patients undergoing breast augmentation surgery with additional applications yet to be explored.