PECTO-INTERCOSTAL FASCIAL PLANE BLOCK

Course overview

THE PECTO-INTERCOSTAL FASCIAL PLANE (PIFP) BLOCK IS AN ULTRASOUND-GUIDED PARASTERNAL BLOCK THAT PROVIDES ANALGESIA TO THE STERNUM AND ANTERIOR CHEST WALL. LITERATURE SUPPORTS THE UTILITY OF THE PIFP BLOCK IN CARDIAC SURGERY (BOTH ADULT AND PEDIATRIC), STERNAL FRACTURES, IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBRILLATOR PLACEMENT, BREAST SURGERY, AND CHRONIC POST-STERNOTOMY PAIN SYNDROME. THE VERSATILITY OF THE PIFP MAKES IT AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST’S TOOLBOX FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT.THIS EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE RELEVANT ANATOMY, IDENTIFIES INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS, AND OUTLINES THE PROCESS NECESSARY TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM THE PIFP BLOCK. THE PIVOTAL ROLES OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARY HEALTHCARE TEAM ARE DISCUSSED TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR THE PROCEDURE AND PRESERVE PATIENT SAFETY DURING AND AFTERWARD. LITERATURE COMPARING THE PIFP BLOCK, A SUPERFICIAL PARASTERNAL BLOCK, TO THE TRANSVERSUS THORACIS MUSCLE PLANE BLOCK, A DEEP PARASTERNAL BLOCK, IS EXPLORED SO THAT HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ARE EMPOWERED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE RELATIVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE 2 DIFFERENT PARASTERNAL BLOCKS.