Serratus anterior plane blocks for median sternotomy anesthesia: back to the drawing board
Rohesh J Fernando, Salvador E Pena, Tomasz Dobrzanski, David Watts · 2026
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Description
Rohesh J Fernando and co-authors question in 2026 whether a serratus anterior plane block is the right tool for pain after open heart surgery through the breastbone. This letter examines a feasibility trial that placed bilateral catheters of that block for sternotomy pain. The authors argue from anatomy that the block reaches the wrong nerve branches for a midline incision.
The block mainly covers nerves along the side of the chest, suiting side incisions better. Midline breastbone pain travels through front branches that other chest wall blocks target more directly. Superficial and deep versions of the serratus block each reach different side nerves, neither reliably covering the front. The writers urge matching block choice to nerve anatomy rather than habit.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Rohesh J Fernando, Salvador E Pena, Tomasz Dobrzanski, David Watts |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 14 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |