| Shah A (2015) [19] | Retrospective review involving 132 patients | Implant-based breast reconstruction | Intercostal nerve blockade | Significant reduction in length of stay, consumption of intravenous morphine and increased cost-savings | - |
| Sundarathiti P (2015) [20] | RCT involving 70 breast cancer patients | Unilateral mastectomy surgery with axillary dissection | GA or PVB via catheter and injections at 3 different levels | Analgesic consumption, post-operative pain scores significantly greater in patients with GA | - |
| Kulkarni K (2013) [21] | 40 ASA I and II patients with breast cancer | Radical mastectomies | Cervical epidural anaesthesia with either 10 mls of 0.25% bupivacaine or 10 mls of 0.375% ropivacaine | Similar onset of sensory block Significant increase in mean motor blockade score, time to achieve complete blockade and time to grade I motor recovery for patients who received bupivacaine | Respiratory distress in 2 patients requiring GA with intubation |
| Coopey SB (2013) [22] | Retrospective review of breast cancer patients | Mastectomies with immediate reconstructions | PVB | Significantly less mean length of stay, shorter mean time to conversion to oral narcotics, less incidence of PONV in PVB group | - |
| Li NL (2011) [23] | 40 breast cancer patients | Unilateral breast surgery | GA or (GA and PVB) | Significantly lower pain scores at all time points, incidences of PONV, doses of postoperative analgesics and narcotics and higher Quality of Recovery scores in PVB group | - |
| Moller JF (2007) [24] | RCT involving 88 breast cancer patients | Breast tumour resection or mastectomy with lymph node biopsy | GA and paravertebral injections with either 0.5% ropivacaine or saline | Postoperative consumption of IV fentanyl and number of patients who reported pain >3 on NRS were significantly less in the Ropivacaine group | - |
| Singh AP (2006) [25] | 50 ASA 1 or 2 breast cancer patients | Modified radical mastectomies | Cervical epidural anaesthesia with 10 mls of 1% lignocaine followed by 0.125% bupivacaine through epidural catheter | No clinically significant variations in perioperative pulse and respiratory rate No fall in mean arterial blood pressure during operation | One case where the procedure was terminated due to accidental dura puncture. |
| Exadaktylos AK (2006) [26] | Retrospective study of 129 patients with breast cancer | Mastectomy and axillary clearance | 50 patients had PVB with GA; 79 patients had GA with morphine analgesia | Recurrence- and metastasis-free survival was significantly higher in the PVB patients | - |