This is a randomized controlled study to compare the effectiveness of a breast nerve block performed with bupivacaine as compared to liposomal bupivacaine in providing postsurgical analgesia in patients undergoing unilateral abdominally-based breast reconstruction at time of mastectomy.
OBJECTIVES
1. Compare the amount of postoperative narcotic use in patients receiving a bupivacaine or liposomal bupivacaine pectoralis and serratus anterior nerve block. Compare these groups to a retrospective control cohort who received local anesthetic infusion but did not receive any nerve block.
2. Examine the incidence of narcotic-related side effects in the experimental groups by documenting incidents of nausea and vomiting, time to first ambulation, liquid and solid oral intake.
3. Survey patient satisfaction with pain management using a visual analog scale during their hospital stay.
