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Pectoral Nerve Blocks Under Direct Vision During Endoscopic-Assisted Transaxillary Breast Augmentation: A Novel, Effective Regional Blocking Approach

  • Innovative Techniques
  • Breast Surgery
  • Published:
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Endoscopic-assisted transaxillary breast augmentation allows performing Pecs block under direct visualization. This study aimed to describe this new technique and demonstrat its short-term efficacy and safety with a preliminary clinical study.

Methods

Patients enrolled for transaxillary endoscopic-assisted prosthetic breast augmentation between February 2022 and March 2023 in two medical centers were included in the pectoral nerve block group. Postoperative VAS scores at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, surgery duration, and the occurrence of nausea and vomiting were compared with a historical cohort of patients collected between February 2021 and January 2022 with the same inclusion criteria.

Results

229 patients were included in the Pecs group and 116 patients were identified in the control group. No statistical difference was observed in patient characteristics. VAS score at postoperative 1 h and 72 h was similar between the two groups, whereas VAS score at postoperative 4 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h in Pecs group was significantly lower than control group. The occurrence of PONV in the Pecs group is significantly lower than in the control group. The duration of surgery is similar between the two groups. No block-related complication was observed in the Pecs group.

Conclusion

A novel approach by combining pectoral nerve blocks with transaxillary endoscopic-assisted breast augmentation to perform blocks under direct vision was proposed and its short-term efficacy and safety was determined by this study.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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Funding

This study is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.82202487)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 33 Ba-Da-Chu Road, Shi-Jing-Shan District, Beijing, 100144, China

    Ziying Zhang, Dali Mu, Zhengyao Li & Minqiang Xin

  2. Department of Aesthetic Surgery, Bravou Plastic Surgery Hospital, No. 21, Section 4, Renmin South Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, 610000, China

    Xuefeng Zhang

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  1. Ziying Zhang
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Correspondence to Minqiang Xin.

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The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this study.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board for Biomedical Research at Plastic Surgery Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

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Zhang, Z., Zhang, X., Mu, D. et al. Pectoral Nerve Blocks Under Direct Vision During Endoscopic-Assisted Transaxillary Breast Augmentation: A Novel, Effective Regional Blocking Approach. Aesth Plast Surg (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-04067-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-024-04067-1

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