The Pectoralis Block: A Case Series of a Novel Modality for Acute Pain Control in the Emergency Department

Regional anesthesia has long been used in a perioperative setting for the treatment of both pre- and postoperative pain. Recently, this skill has been brought into the emergency department (ED) as a modality for treating acute pain as the pendulum shifts away from an opioid-based armamentarium and toward a multimodal future. In this case series, we describe a way to use the pectoralis nerve block I and II in the treatment of pain with regard to breast abscesses and/or breast cellulitis managed in the ED.

This paper describes three cases, all of which consist of a painful complaint in the thoracic region. The first was a patient diagnosed with a breast abscess. The second patient was diagnosed with breast cellulitis. Finally, the third patient was diagnosed with a large breast abscess that extended into the axilla. All three sustained immense relief with the pectoralis block.

While further research is needed on a larger scale, preliminary data suggests that the ultrasound-guided pectoralis nerve block is an effective and safe modality of acute pain control in regard to breast and axillary abscesses along with breast cellulitis.