To evaluate the analgesic effect of pectoral nerve block in implant-based mammoplasty.

EMbase, PubMed, Web of science, MEDLINE, CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP and other databases were searched from establishment to February 2022 by computer to collect randomized controlled trials which applied pectoral nerve block in implant-based mammoplasty, and meta-analysis was conducted after data extraction and quality evaluation of the literature meeting the inclusion criteria.

A total of 336 patients in seven RCT studies were included in this study. Pectoral nerve block has a significant effect on postoperative analgesia in patients with implant-based mammoplasty with 1h VAS score significantly reduced in the resting state (MD=−1.85, 95%CI: −2.64~-1.07, P<0.00001); VAS score was significantly decreased 4–6 hours after operation (MD=−1.51, 95%CI: −2.47~−0.55, P=0.002); postoperative opioid consumption was reduced (SMD=−1.37, 95%CI: −2.51~−0.24, P=0.02) in PECS block group; and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the PECS block group was significantly lower (RR: 0.30, 95 %CI: 0.19–0.38, P<0.00001).

The application of PECS block in submuscular implant-based mammoplasty can effectively reduce the degree of acute postoperative pain, opioid consumption and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, indicating its broad prospects in clinical application.

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.