Pectoral nerve blocks decrease postoperative pain and opioid use after pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement in children.

Background: Pectoral nerve blocks (PECs) can reduce intraprocedural anesthetic requirements and postoperative pain. Little is known about the utility of PECs in reducing pain and narcotic use after pacemaker (PM) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement in children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether PECs can decrease postoperative pain and opioid use after PM or ICD placement in children.

Methods: A single-center retrospective review of pediatric patients undergoing transvenous PM or ICD placement between 2015 and 2020 was performed. Patients with recent cardiothoracic surgery or neurologic/developmental deficits were excluded. Demographics, procedural variables, postoperative pain, and postoperative opioid usage were compared between patients who had undergone PECs and those who had undergone conventional local anesthetic (Control).

Results: A total of 74 patients underwent PM or ICD placement; 20 patients (27%) underwent PECs. There were no differences between PECs and Control with regard to age, weight, gender, type of device placed, presence of congenital heart disease, type of anesthesia, procedural time, or complication rates. Patients who underwent PECs had lower pain scores at 1, 2, 6, 18, and 24 hours compared to Control. PECs patients had a lower mean cumulative pain score [PECs 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8-2.2) vs Control 3.1 (95% CI 2.7-3.5); P <.001] and lower total opioid use [PECs 6.0 morphine milligram equivalent (MME)/m (95% CI 3.4-8.6) vs Control 15.0 MME/m (95% CI 11.8-18.2); P = .001] over the 24 hours postimplant.

Conclusion: PECs reduce postoperative pain scores and lower total opioid usage after ICD or PM placement. PECs should be considered at the time of transvenous device placement in children.