Effects of a Serratus block on Post-operative Pain in Breast Surgery
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Effects of Serratus Plane Block performed under direct vision on Post-operative pain in Breast Surgery – A Double Blind Randomised Control Trial
IRAS ID
179669
Contact name
Marcus Hards
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
R&D Lead
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 4 days
Research summary
The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of serratus place block in the control of post-operative pain following mastectomy. We will compare one group of patients receiving serratus plane block and wound infiltration to a control group receiving wound infiltration with local anaesthetic and a saline injection delivered into the serratus muscle. We will compare our results to the National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit’s reported rate of 6.2% of patients reporting severe pain following mastectomy to see if there is an improvement of the national standard.
Patients who undergo breast surgery where direct vision of serratus muscle is seen (e.g mastectomy, axillary clearance) will be eligible for the study. Patients will be consented by Mr Davies preoperatively in the breast clinic at Kingston Hospital to be randomly allocated to one of two groups.
The first group will act as the control group and will receive wound infiltration with the full amount of local anaesthetic around the drain sites and axillary wound, if present, as is standard practice. They will also receive a saline injection delivered into the serratus muscle. The second group will receive 50% of the local anaesthetic as a serratus plane block and the other 50% as wound infiltration as well as a saline injection given as wound infiltration.
Patients will be blinded to which group they are randomly allocated to. Written consent and information sheets will be provided to patients and a letter sent to their GP confirming participation in the study.
Various post operative outcomes will be looked at including Pain score day 0 and day 1 after surgery. We will also assess the proportion of patients who go on to develop chronic pain syndromes 3 months after their operation.
The study will be performed at Kingston Hospital and will last 18 months.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/1368
Date of REC Opinion
29 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion