Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided pectoral nerve block combined with no background patient controlled intravenous analgesia in postoperative pain control of partial mastectomy patients

Objective To study the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided pectoral nerve block combined with no background patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) in postoperative pain control of partial mastectomy patients. Methods A total of 60 patients who underwent elective partial mastectomy at Pukou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to China Pharmaceutical University from May 2022 to May 2023 were selected and divided into group M and group N, with 30 cases in each growp. Both groups received no background PCIA. Patients in M group received 0.2% ropivacaine 30 mL for pectoral nerve block, while patients in group N did not receive any other treatment. The outcome measures were VAS scores during static and coughing at the time point of patient leaving resuscitation room (T0), 4 hours (T1), 12 hours (T2), 24 hours (T3), and 48 hours (T4) after surgery, as well as the total analgesia consumption and rescue analgesia dosage. Results Patients in group M showed a lower rest VAS at T0, T1, T2, and T3 time point (P＜0.05), and lower cough VAS at T0, T1, and T2 time point than patients in group N (P＜0.05). In group M, the total intravenous analgesia consumption and number of presses were significantly less than group N at 48 hours after surgery (P＜0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions between the two groups (P＞0.05), and there was no complication related to nerve block in group M. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided pectoral nerve block combined with no background PCIA is able to provide potent postoperative pain control, reduce analgesia consumption in partial mastectomy patients.