Post Mastectomy Pain Management

Post-mastectomy pain affects more than half of patients undergoing the procedure and can last for years. It has been well established that development of chronic pain is related to experienced pain in the perioperative period. This study therefore aims to assess if both acute and chronic post-operative mastectomy pain can be better managed by a novel regional anesthesia nerve block known as the pectoralis block (PECs). The PECs block is easier for patients to position for placement, has less risk of harm to nearby structures, and less risk for systemic uptake of local anesthetic in comparison to the paravertebral block. The PECs block has a strong safety profile. Standard of care at University of Wisconsin (UW) hospital is to utilize regional anesthesia for post op pain management. While PVB is performed on a regular basis at UW per surgeon request, Surgeon can request for PECS block in patients where a PVB was contraindicated (ie. coagulation issues). PECS is in fact the standard of care at other hospitals. This study will assess outcomes in the post anesthetic care unit (PACU), post-operative day 1, 7 and 30.