Serratus vs. Erector Spinae Fascial Plane Block for Breast and Axillary Surgery

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2022-08-01
• Target enrollment: 70
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Both serratus plane and erector spinae fascial plane blocks are described to produce local anesthetic spread to the nerves innervating the axilla. Investigators think that the serratus plane block is more reliable for blocking axillary innervation. Investigators hypothesized that the serratus plane block provides superior postoperative analgesia for breast surgery involving the axilla.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Women's College Hospital
• Treatments: Epinephrine; Ropivacaine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. ASA classification I-III

2. BMI < 35 kg/m2

3. Having outpatient unilateral breast cancer surgery that involves the axilla.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Prior ipsilateral breast surgery, excluding lumpectomy.

2. Pre-existing neurological deficit or peripheral neuropathy involving the ipsilateral chest

3. Severe, poorly controlled cardiac conditions, significant arrhythmias, severe valvular heart diseases

4. Severe, poorly controlled respiratory conditions (severe COPD, severe interstitial lung disease, severe / poorly controlled asthma)

5. Contraindication to regional anaesthesia (e.g. bleeding diathesis, coagulopathy, sepsis, infection at the site of potential needle puncture on the posterior chest)

6. Patient refusal

7. Chronic pain disorder

8. Chronic opioid use (≥30 mg oxycodone / day)

9. Contraindication (or allergy) to a component of multi-modal analgesia protocol

10. Allergy to amide local anaesthetics used in nerve blocks

11. Contraindications to any of the components of the standardized general anaesthesia

12. Significant psychiatric disorder that would preclude objective study assessment

13. Pregnancy/ women with nursing infants

14. Unable to provide informed consent