Dexmedetomedine and Ketamine in Erector Spinae Block for Postoperative Analgesia Following Mastectomy.

Persistent pain after breast cancer surgery is frequently observed in more than 60% of patients.The suboptimal management of perioperative pain can lead to the occurrence of persistent breast cancer pain syndrome and phantom breast pain. Dexmedetomidine, a novel α2-agonist with an eight-fold affinity for α2-adrenergic receptors (sedate and analgesic effects) as clonidine, while exerts much less α1-effects., has been found to significantly increase the duration of peripheral nerve blocks, with minimal systemic side effects. Ketamine is a non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. It is used for sedation, premedication, induction, and maintenance of general anesthesia. Central, regional, and local anesthetic and analgesic properties have been reported for ketamine. Both can be used through Erector spinae plane block for postoperative pain control.