Use of local anesthetic a key tenet in multimodal analgesia to modulate chronic post-mastectomy pain

Steyaert et al. performed a cross-sectional survey of women undergoing mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection to determine risk factors, including anesthetic and analgesic regimen, for the development of chronic post-mastectomy pain [1]. They found that of the many anesthetic and analgesic variables studied, only the use of halogenated agents was associated with a decreased incidence of chronic pain. We appreciate the diligence of this investigation into how our anesthetic care can affect our patients, particularly given the frequent incidence of chronic post-mastectomy pain in this population.

http://ift.tt/2jJybdL