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Quadratus lumborum catheters for breast reconstruction requiring transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps

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Abstract

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer may opt to undergo surgical reconstructive flaps at the time of or after mastectomies. These surgeries leave patients with significant postoperative pain and sometimes involve large surgical beds including graft sites from the abdomen to reconstruct the breast. Consequently, multimodal methods of pain management have become highly favored. Quadratus lumborum catheters offer an opioid-sparing technique that can be performed easily and safely. We present a case of a patient who underwent a breast flap reconstruction and had bilateral quadratus lumborum catheters placed for perioperative pain control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Nicole Z. Spence

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Patrycja Olszynski, Anne Lehan & Jean-Lois Horn

  3. Divisions of Pain Medicine, Regional Anesthesia & Liver Transplant Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Christopher A. J. Webb

Authors
  1. Nicole Z. Spence
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  2. Patrycja Olszynski
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  3. Anne Lehan
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  4. Jean-Lois Horn
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  5. Christopher A. J. Webb
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher A. J. Webb.

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None.

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Not funded.

Additional information

Christopher A.J. Webb was previously a Clinical Instructor/Regional Anesthesia Fellow in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

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Spence, N.Z., Olszynski, P., Lehan, A. et al. Quadratus lumborum catheters for breast reconstruction requiring transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps. J Anesth 30, 506–509 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-016-2160-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-016-2160-y

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