ArticleInternational journal of physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology2020
Pectoral Nerve (PECs) block for postoperative analgesia-a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.
Article in International journal of physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Feasibility and efficacy of routinary PECs 1 block on perioperative and postoperative pain control in breast surgery: a prospective non-controlled trial in a medium-volume breast unit.Updates in surgery · 2023Trial
- Impact of Pectoralis Nerve Block (PECS) on postoperative pain in patients submitted to mastectomy with lymphadenectomy.Revista do Colegio Brasileiro de Cirurgioes · 2022Trial
- Regional Fascial Plane Blocks and Early Postoperative Complications in Reduction Mammaplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2026Article
- Testing of Pre-Operative Peripheral Nerve Blocks in Randomised Controlled Trials: A Scoping Review.Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica · 2026Article
- Testing of pre-operative peripheral nerve blocks in randomised controlled trials: A scoping review protocol.Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica · 2025Article
- Efficacy of pectoralis nerve blocks I & II with liposomal bupivacaine in patients undergoing elective breast reduction procedures: A retrospective study.JPRAS open · 2025Article
- The Role of Regional Anesthesia in ICU Pain Management.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Review
- Excess Opioid Medication and Variation in Prescribing Patterns Following Common Breast Plastic Surgeries.Plastic surgery (Oakville, Ont.) · 2024Article
- Intraoperative ultrasound-guided pectoral nerve blocks for cardiac implantable device procedures.Journal of interventional cardiac electrophysiology : an international journal of arrhythmias and pacing · 2024Article
- Pectoral Nerve Block II for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.Annals of noninvasive electrocardiology : the official journal of the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc · 2024Article
- Article
- Postoperative Analgesic Efficacy of Intraoperative Pectoral Nerve Block for Modified Radical Mastectomy: a Double-Blind Prospective Randomised Interventional Study.Indian journal of surgical oncology · 2023Article
- The Use of Pectoralis Blocks in Breast Surgery: A Practice Advisory and Narrative Review from the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA).Annals of surgical oncology · 2022Review
- ASO Author Reflections: SAMBA's Practice Advisory for the Use of Pectoralis Blocks in Breast Surgery: Overview and Lingering Questions.Annals of surgical oncology · 2022Article
- Chest Wall Nerve Blocks for Cardiothoracic, Breast Surgery, and Rib-Related Pain.Current pain and headache reports · 2022Review
- Pectoral nerve block and acute pain management after breast reduction surgery in adolescent patients.Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie · 2021Article
- A randomised trial: effects of different anesthesia methods on early perioperative pain sensitivity and cellular immune function in patients undergoing radical mastectomy.Gland surgery · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivePectoral Nerve (PECs) block is a fascial plane block first described by Blanco et al. for postoperative analgesia in breast surgery. The procedure is now widely used, and several small clinical trials have been published and reported favorably on the analgesic efficacy of PECs block. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we will summarize the current evidence on the efficacy of PECs block.
methodsWe identified and analyzed 19 randomized control trials from PubMed, Central, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science citation index, US clinical trials register and Google Scholar. The primary outcome was 24-hour opioid requirement, and secondary outcomes included pain scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting and other complications.
resultsCompared to systemic analgesia, PECs block was associated with reduced 24 hours opioid requirement [mean difference (MD) = -10.66 mg], lower pain score [9-12 hours postoperatively: MD = -1.18; 24 hours postoperatively: MD = -0.79] and less frequent PONV [risk ratio (RR) = 0.37, numbers needed to treat (NNT) = 5]. While the failure rate of PECs block was not well defined, several studies reported significant intraoperative opioid requirement despite PECs block. Lastly, trial sequential analysis indicated that no more clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the opioid sparing effect of PECs block.
conclusionWhen compared to general anesthesia with systemic opioids, PECs block was associated with significantly better perioperative pain control. There are currently insufficient data on the complication and failure rate of PECs block in clinical practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
32211121PMC7076325W3013440562What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.