Itabira

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor among women in Brazil, and surgery is a key part of its treatment. Managing pain after breast cancer surgery is important to improve recovery and patient comfort. This clinical trial is a prospective, randomized, double-blind study comparing two pain control methods—interfascial pectoral nerve block (PECS II) and local anesthetic infiltration—during opioid-free or opioid-sparing general anesthesia in women undergoing breast cancer surgery. The study involves 133 female patients who will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The PEC group will receive the PECS II block before surgery, where anesthetic ropivacaine is injected between specific chest muscles. The LOC group will have local anesthetic with adrenaline injected by the surgeon at the surgical site before incision. Both groups receive these interventions after anesthesia induction. Patients will be monitored in the post-anesthetic care unit (PACU) for pain and nausea at multiple intervals up to two hours after surgery, and again 24 hours later. During the study, pain levels will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and opioid use and nausea or vomiting will be recorded. Monitoring will occur immediately after surgery in the PACU and during hospitalization. The research aims to determine which method better controls postoperative pain and reduces opioid consumption and side effects, with assessments continuing over 24 hours after surgery.