The effect on improvement of recovery and pain scores of paravertebral block immediately before breast surgery

Paravertebral block (PVB) has the potential to reduce postoperative pain after breast surgery. The aim of the study was to investigate whether PVB performed immediately before surgery could affect the postoperative morbidities in terms of pain and emesis, and improve the quality of recovery (QoR) in patients after surgery for breast cancer. Postoperative data were collected prospectively from two groups of patients undergoing unilateral breast surgery during the study period of 1 month. Forty consecutive patients received either solely general anesthesia (GA group, n = 25) or GA plus ultrasound-guided PVB (GA + PVB group, n = 15) for the surgery. Pain scores and areal distribution of pain were compared between the two groups 1 hour and 6 hours postoperatively and on the midmorning of postoperative Day 1 (POD1). The QoR scores were compared between the two groups 6 hours postoperatively and on the midmorning of POD1. Incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and doses of analgesics and narcotics given were also compared. Pain scores at rest were significantly lower in the GA + PVB group at all designated time points [1 hour ( p < 0.0001), 6 hours ( p < 0.0001), and on midmorning of POD1 ( p = 0.041)]. Pain scores with movements was also significantly lower at all time points in the GA + PVB group (1 hour, p < 0.0001; 6 hours, p < 0.0001; midmorning of POD1, p = 0.0012). Areal distribution of pain at rest and with movement was wider in the GA group 1 hour and 6 hours postoperately but was identical to that of GA+ PVB group on the mid-morning of POD1 [1 hour postoperatively at rest ( p < 0.0001), with movement ( p < 0.0001); 6 hours postoperatively at rest ( p = 0.0018), with movement ( p = 0.0048)]. The QoR scores were significantly higher in the GA + PVB group at 6 hours ( p < 0.0001) and on midmorning of POD1 ( p = 0.0079). The incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting were significantly lower in the GA + PVB group ( p = 0.0004). Doses of postoperative analgesics and narcotics were significantly less in the GA + PVB group ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Time to first request for analgesics was significantly longer in the GA + PVB group ( p = 0.0002). PVB given before surgery in combination with GA could provide better postoperative analgesia and better QoR than did GA alone in patients undergoing surgery for unilateral breast cancer.