Regional Anesthesia for Breast Surgery: Techniques and Benefits

Breast surgeryis an exceedingly common procedure and associated with an increased incidence of acute and chronic pain. Regional anesthesiatechniques may improve postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing breast surgery. While much data have supported the efficacy of paravertebral blocks, they are not without risks. More recently, pectoral blocks have shown promise for this population, whereas wound infiltration has demonstrated mixed results. In this review, regional anesthesiatechniques, the associated anatomy and the evidence for their utility are reviewed. Additionally, the advantages of regional anesthesiabeyond postoperative pain control are discussed.