Background & Aims

Modified radical mastectomy (MRM) is associated with significant post operative pain and leading to prolongation of hospital stay. Pain is considered as an important vital sign and has been equated with quality control of health system . Opioid free/sparing anaesthesia (OFA)/(OSA) has gained popularity nowadays for perioperative analgesia compared to that of an opioid, a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting, early postoperative recovery and better patient satisfaction. There is paucity of literature so, we planned this study to evaluate the opioid sparing effect of multimodal analgesia using costotransverse block (CTB) in patients undergoing MRM surgery
The aim of this study is to compare the effect multimodal opioid sparing anaesthesia using ultrasound guided costotransverse block (CTB) with standard general anaesthesia practice (control group) for postoperative analgesia and quality of postoperative recovery after modified radical mastectomy.

Methods

After approval from ethics committee, this single centre, prospective, randomized controlled study was conducted in tertiary care hospital. Total 66 patients of ASA grade I,II and III, aged 25 to 65 years were enrolled. After informed consent, patients were randomized in two groups. Group A patients received opioid based anaesthesia as per standard practice, Group B patients received Costo-Transverse Block (CTB) with 0.5%, 15 ml ropivacaine at T3 or 4 level unilaterally on the operative side. In opioid sparing group, after CTB block, lignocaine @1.5 mg/kg bolus during induction followed by infusion 2mg/ kg was started. Mgso4 at 30mg/kg was given. Dexmedetomidine infusion given after induction @ 0.5mcg/kg/hr and stopped at end of skin closure.
Amount of fentanyl consumption for 24 hours postoperatively, time for first rescue analgesia, pain scores, total dose of intraoperative fentanyl used as rescue along with the quality of post-operative recovery were compared in both the groups.

Results

Patients in opioid sparing group had significantly better pain scores ( Numerical rating pain score) both at rest and movement when compared to control group. Total amount of fentanyl consumption was significantly less in opioid sparing group. Time for first rescue analgesia was less in opioid sparing groups, these patients asked for rescue analgesia earlier but overall requirement was significantly less when compared to control group. Quality of postoperative recovery by quality of recovery 15 score, was significantly better in opioid sparing group ( p value <0.001).

Conclusions

Opioid free anaesthesia is gaining popularity for offering equivalent perioperative analgesia compared to that of an opioid, early postoperative recovery and better patient satisfaction. Literature is scarce on opioid sparing technique especially for perioperative period in cancer patients. It may have preventive benefit on probable perioperative immunosuppression by opioids. In this study, patients in opioid sparing anaesthesia group had better pain scores and postoperative recovery profile. Multimodal opioid sparing anaesthesia using costotransverse block can be considered as a potential alternative for conventional opioid based anaesthesia. Multicentric randomised control trial with large sample size may be needed to further establish our results.

References

1.Aygun H, Kiziloglu I, Ozturk NK, Ocal H, Inal A, Kutlucan L, Gonullu E, Tulgar S. Use of ultrasound guided single shot costotransverse block (intertransverse process) in breast cancer surgery: a prospective, randomized, assessor blinded, controlled clinical trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2022 Apr 18;22(1):110.
2.Shibata Y, Kampitak W, Tansatit T. The Novel Costotransverse Foramen Block Technique: Distribution Characteristics of Injectate Compared with Erector Spinae Plane Block. Pain Physician. 2020 Jun;23(3):E305-E314
3.Nanda S, Bhoi D, Pangasa N, Jain D. Multiple injection costotransverse block for chronic pain in a patient with granulomatous mastitis. Indian J Anaesth. 2021 Oct;65(10):772-774.
4. Wang S, Li Y, Liang C, Han X, Wang J, Miao C. Opioid-free anesthesia reduces the severity of acute postoperative motion-induced pain and patient-controlled epidural analgesia-related adverse events in lung surgery: randomized clinical trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 6;10:1243311.
5. Mieszcza?ski P, Górniewski G, Ziemia?ski P, Cylke R, Lisik W, Trzebicki J. Comparison between multimodal and intraoperative opioid free anesthesia for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective, randomized study. Sci Rep. 2023 Aug 4;13(1):12677.

Presenting Author

Priyanka Sethi

Poster Authors

Priyanka Sethi

MBBS, MD,DNB,MAMS,MNAMS

AIIMS, Jodhpur

Lead Author

Dr Banish Tm

MBBS

AIIMS, Jodhpur

Lead Author

Dr Pradeep Kumar Bhatia

MBBS

AIIMS, Jodhpur

Lead Author

Dr Manbir Kaur

MBBS

AIIMS, Jodhpur

Lead Author

Dr. Kamlesh Kumari

MBBS

AIIMS, Jodhpur

Lead Author

Dr Nivedita Sharma

MBBS

AIIMS,Jodhpur

Lead Author

Topics

  • Specific Pain Conditions/Pain in Specific Populations: Acute Pain and Nociceptive Pain