Clinical usefulness of pectoral nerve block for the management of zoster-associated pain: case reports and technical description

The recently introduced pectoral nerve (Pecs) block is a simple alterative to the conventional thoracic paravertebral block or epidural block for breast surgery. It produces excellent analgesia and can be used to provide balanced anesthesia and as a rescue block in cases where performing a neuraxial blockade is not possible. In the thoracic region, a neuraxial blockade is often used to manage zoster-associated pain. However, this can be challenging for physicians due to the increased risk of hemodynamic instability in the upper thoracic level, and comorbid and contraindicated medical conditions such as coagulopathy. Here, we introduce an ultrasound-guided Pecs block for the management of herpes zoster-associated pain, which could be an effective alternative to other interventional options in the thoracic region.