The investigators conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial to determine whether the addition of dexamethasone to bupivacaine in a preoperative Pecs II block resulted in improved pain control, relative to bupivacaine alone, in patients undergoing bilateral reduction mammaplasty.
Using a preassigned randomization list, patients were randomized to experimental and control groups in a ratio of 1:1 upon enrollment. Both groups received PECS II bupivacaine field blocks in the preoperative holding area, performed by an acute pain fellowship-trained anesthesiologist. The experimental group received 29mL of 0.5% bupivacaine mixed with 1mL 4mg/mL dexamethasone per side. The control group received 29mL 0.5% bupivacaine mixed with 1mL 0.9 saline solution per side. To maintain the blinded aspect of the study, the anesthesiologists were given pre-mixed vials labelled uniformly for the trial, regardless of the patient's treatment arm.
The patients all underwent bilateral breast reduction with a single surgeon. Postoperative pain regimens were standardized. Subjective pain scores, narcotic consumption, 4-hour interval vital signs, anti-emetic usage, and postoperative quality of life via an sf-36 questionnaire were all recorded per patient.
