• Research blog
Thursday, 03. April 2025

Paravertebral Blocks in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Do Not Induce Increased Postoperative Blood or Drainage Fluid Loss

Recent Publication


 

A team from the Department of Plastic Surgery at St. Pölten University Hospital has investigated whether so-called paravertebral blockades - pain catheters near the spine - lead to more blood loss or wound fluid after breast surgery. This pain therapy helps patients after breast removal with implant reconstruction to tolerate the pain better. The concern was that the pain treatment could cause more fluid to leak or complications to occur more frequently. However, the evaluation of 115 operations showed that there was no difference in blood loss, the amount of drainage fluid or the length of hospitalisation. The method is therefore safe and helps effectively against pain - without negatively influencing the healing process.

Flores, T., Jaklin, F. J., Mayrl, M. S., Kerschbaumer, C., Glisic, C., Pfoser, K., Lumenta, D. B., Schrögendorfer, K. F., Hörmann, C., & Bergmeister, K. D. (2025). Paravertebral Blocks in Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction Do Not Induce Increased Postoperative Blood or Drainage Fluid Loss. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(6), 1832. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14061832

Prim. Clin. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Klaus Schrögendorfer MBA FEBOPRAS

Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery (University Hospital St. Pölten)

Prim. Clin. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Christoph Hörmann

Division of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (University Hospital St. Pölten)

OA PD Dr. Konstantin Bergmeister PhD FEBHS

Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery (University Hospital St. Pölten)