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Bilateral continuous paravertebral catheters for reduction mammoplasty
Author(s) -
Buckenmaier C. C.,
Steele S. M.,
Nielsen K. C.,
Martin A. H.,
Klein S. M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-6576.2002.460820.x
Subject(s) - medicine , reduction mammoplasty , mammoplasty , surgery , anesthesia , catheter , local anesthetic , breast cancer , cancer
Surgical procedures of the breast can result in significant postoperative pain. Paravertebral nerve blocks have been used successfully in the management of analgesia after breast surgery but are limited by a single injection. This report describes the use of bilateral paravertebral catheters to provide extended analgesia for reduction mammoplasty. A 48‐year‐old female underwent bilateral paravertebral catheter placement at thoracic level 3 and local anesthetic injections followed by general anesthesia for elective reduction mammoplasty. She reported no pain following the operation and required no supplemental opioids for pain management during her overnight recovery. This case demonstrates a method for extended bilateral thoracic analgesia. The technique may offer an alternative to traditional outpatient analgesics for reduction mammoplasty.