Breast surgeons may be able to reduce post-operative pain and the need for opioid narcotics by utilizing regional anesthesia techniques (modified regional blocks) during surgery. To test this hypothesis, we need baseline (pre-intervention) data on how much pain patients experience when breast surgery is done without blocks.~In this study, we will gather data on (1.) pain pills used after surgery, and (2.) pain scores in the recovery room. This will allow us to establish how much pain normally occurs after axillary surgery (sentinel node biopsy or axillary dissection), with or without concurrent lumpectomy, done by a participating breast surgeon.~After analyzing this data, our plan is to do a second study, with a new group of patients, to assess whether there is any change in outcome after surgeons implement these new techniques.
Reducing post-operative pain and reducing the use of opioid narcotics are independently valuable goals. Before studying newer techniques that may help us achieve these goals, we need objective data on how much pain normally occurs after breast surgery done with standard-of-care techniques. This study was designed to obtain baseline data.