2026 American Society of Anesthesiologists Practice Guideline on Perioperative Pain Management Using Local and Regional Analgesia for Cardiothoracic Surgeries, Mastectomy, and Abdominal Surgeries

Abstract

This practice guideline addresses perioperative pain management using local and regional anesthesia for cardiothoracic, mastectomy, and abdominal surgery in adults and children. For adults, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (Schaumburg, Illinois) Task Force on Perioperative Pain Management strongly recommends fascial plane blocks to reduce pain and/or opioid requirements in the first 24 h postoperatively for open cardiothoracic, abdominal, retroperitoneal, and pelvic surgeries and mastectomy. Fascial plane blocks are also recommended in adults to reduce pain and/or opioid requirements after minimally invasive abdominal procedures. The Task Force conditionally recommends use of fascial plane blocks for minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgeries and open hernia repair to reduce pain in the first 24 h postoperatively. For children, the Task Force strongly recommends use of fascial plane blocks to reduce pain/and or opioid use after open cardiac or thoracic surgeries. Fascial plane blocks are conditionally recommended to reduce pain the first 24 h in children undergoing open hernia repair. Overall, data analysis for this practice guideline was limited by low methodologic quality, inconsistencies in outcome measurements, and small sample sizes from individual centers. Future research in regional anesthesia and analgesia needs to address these pervasive limitations.

Affiliated Institutions

• Mayo Clinic US
• University of Virginia US
• Stanford University US
• Yale University US
• American Society of Anesthesiologists US
• Maimonides Medical Center US
• Mayo Clinic in Florida US
• American College of Surgeons US
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center US
• The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center US
• University of Washington US
• Michigan Medicine US
• WinnMed US
• Loyola University Medical Center US
• Futures in Rehabilitation Management (United States) US

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