• Alberto E Ardon, Emma Curley, and Roy Greengrass.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL.
• Clin J Pain. 2024 Jun 1; 40 (6): 367372367-372.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the incidence of complications after landmark-based paravertebral blocks for breast surgery.MethodsThe medical records of patients who received a paravertebral block for breast surgery between 2019 and 2022 were reviewed. Patient age, sex, type of procedure, number of injections, volume of injected anesthetic, and possible complications were noted. A record was identified as a possible serious block-related complication if there was concern or treatment for local anesthetic systemic toxicity, pneumothorax, altered mental status, or intrathecal/epidural spread. Other complications recorded were immediate postblock hypotension and nausea/vomiting requiring treatment and unanticipated postsurgical admission. Patients receiving ultrasound-guided paravertebral blocks were excluded from this study.ResultsOver a 3-year period, 979 patients received paravertebral blocks using the landmark technique for breast surgery, totaling 4983 injections. Overall, 6 patients required assessment for postblock issues (0.61%), including hypotension (2 patients), nausea (3 patients), and hypotension + altered mental status (1 patient). This latter patient was identified as having a serious complication related to the paravertebral block (0.1%). This patient had unintentional intrathecal spread and altered mental status that required mechanical ventilation. The incidence of block-related hypotension and nausea requiring treatment was thus 0.31% and 0.31% respectively. Four patients required unanticipated admission, but none were for block-related reasons. No patients in this study were found to have local anesthetic systemic toxicity or pneumothorax.ConclusionOur study suggests that landmark-based paravertebral blocks for breast surgery result in a very low complication rate and are a safe technique for postsurgical analgesia.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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