Article Text
PDF
Abstract
Please confirm that an ethics committee approval has been applied for or granted: Not relevant
Background and Aims ESP block is a relatively new technique that has been used in analgesia for breast and thoracic surgeries. The ESP technique is performed by injecting local anesthetics into the space between the transverse processes and spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae. It is associated with a reduced need for postoperative opioids and improved postoperative recovery. This block could be an effective and safe technique for intra- and postoperative analgesia, avoiding the risks of general anesthesia.
Methods What is described in this article is a report of two similar cases that required relatively urgent surgery in the presence of a full stomach.
Results Both patients progressed satisfactorily during the intraoperative and postoperative period, did not require extra doses of local anesthesia or narcotics, and were discharged the next day with adequate pain control.
Conclusions We support this technique as a useful alternative for performing breast surgery without the need for general anesthesia, either with sedation or anxiolysis. We consider that there are areas of opportunity to develop for a different approach in these cases, since the breast has a complex innervation. Although an alternative option could be to add local infiltration at the surgical site by the surgeon, in these cases we did not notice hemodynamic variables during the first surgical incision indicative of increased nociception; However, this plugin is a viable option.
Presentation of review and cases