BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Over 50% of patients still experience pain a year after mastectomy with or without lymphadenectomy. We aimed to determine the association between anesthetic technique, acute postoperative pain intensity, and the development of chronic postoperative pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive general anesthesia with or without a paravertebral nerve block for modified radical mastectomy. Postoperative pain was assessed on a visual analog scale at 60 minutes and 24 hours; the patients were also asked to respond to a telephone questionnaire on chronic pain 4 to 5 months later. RESULTS: No significant differences in acute pain were observed. Twenty-nine responded to the telephone questionnaire. Only 1 patient in the paravertebral block group reported chronic neuropathic pain and none had phantom breast pain. Only 1 patient (6.7%) in the paravertebral block group reported chronic neuropathic pain and none had phantom breast pain. In the group that received general anesthesia alone, 1 patient reported phantom breast pain and 6 patients had neuropathic pain, associated with phantom breast pain in 2 cases (incidence of chronic pain 50%; P = .01, Fischer exact test; relative risk, 7.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.0-53.5). The incidences of myofascial pain (neck muscle tightness) were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Four to 5 months after mastectomy, fewer cases of chronic pain developed in the group operated under general anesthesia with a preincisional paravertebral block than in the group that received only general anesthesia, with postoperative morphine chloride for analgesia.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Over 50% of patients still experience pain a year after mastectomy with or without lymphadenectomy. We aimed to determine the association between anesthetic technique, acute postoperative pain intensity, and the development of chronic postoperative pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive general anesthesia with or without a paravertebral nerve block for modified radical mastectomy. Postoperative pain was assessed on a visual analog scale at 60 minutes and 24 hours; the patients were also asked to respond to a telephone questionnaire on chronic pain 4 to 5 months later. RESULTS: No significant differences in acute pain were observed. Twenty-nine responded to the telephone questionnaire. Only 1 patient in the paravertebral block group reported chronic neuropathic pain and none had phantom breast pain. Only 1 patient (6.7%) in the paravertebral block group reported chronic neuropathic pain and none had phantom breast pain. In the group that received general anesthesia alone, 1 patient reported phantom breast pain and 6 patients had neuropathic pain, associated with phantom breast pain in 2 cases (incidence of chronic pain 50%; P = .01, Fischer exact test; relative risk, 7.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.0-53.5). The incidences of myofascial pain (neck muscle tightness) were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Four to 5 months after mastectomy, fewer cases of chronic pain developed in the group operated under general anesthesia with a preincisional paravertebral block than in the group that received only general anesthesia, with postoperative morphine chloride for analgesia.
Authors: Erica J Weinstein; Jacob L Levene; Marc S Cohen; Doerthe A Andreae; Jerry Y Chao; Matthew Johnson; Charles B Hall; Michael H Andreae Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2018-06-20
Authors: Noud van Helmond; Monique A Steegers; Gertie P Filippini-de Moor; Kris C Vissers; Oliver H Wilder-Smith Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-12-09 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Erica J Weinstein; Jacob L Levene; Marc S Cohen; Doerthe A Andreae; Jerry Y Chao; Matthew Johnson; Charles B Hall; Michael H Andreae Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2018-04-25
Authors: K Ak; S Gursoy; C Duger; A C Isbir; K Kaygusuz; I Ozdemir Kol; G Gokce; C Mimaroglu Journal: Med Princ Pract Date: 2012-12-14 Impact factor: 1.927