Thoracic paravertebral blocks can serve as a viable alternative to general anesthesia for pregnant patients undergoing breast mastectomy and reconstruction.
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May support paravertebral blocks when general anesthesia is undesired in breast reconstruction; hypothesis-generating case report leaves open need for prospective trials.
Paravertebral blocks are becoming increasingly utilized for breast surgery with studies showing improved postoperative pain control, decreased need for opioids, and less nausea and vomiting. We describe the anesthetic management of an otherwise healthy woman who was 12 weeks pregnant presenting for treatment of her breast cancer. For patients undergoing breast mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue expanders, paravertebral blocks offer an anesthetic alternative when general anesthesia is not desired.
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Webb et al. (2015) studied this question.
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