| Technique |
Description |
Indications in cancer surgery |
Advantages |
Limitations |
| Nerve blocks [14] |
The injection of local anesthetics near specific nerves to block pain in a targeted area. |
Used in surgeries like breast cancer, limb surgeries, and head and neck cancers. |
Provides targeted pain relief, reduces opioid consumption, and facilitates early mobilization. |
Potential for incomplete block, nerve damage, and requires expertise. |
| Epidural anesthesia [15] |
The injection of anesthetic agents into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord. |
Common in thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cancer surgeries. |
Excellent pain control reduces stress response and allows for continuous infusion. |
Risk of hypotension, infection, and technical difficulty in patients with prior surgeries or radiation. |
| Spinal anesthesia [16] |
The injection of an anesthetic into the subarachnoid space produces a dense block below the injection site. |
Primarily used for lower abdominal, pelvic, and lower limb cancer surgeries. |
Rapid onset, effective analgesia, and minimal drug use. |
Shorter duration compared to epidural, risk of hypotension, and post-dural puncture headache. |
| Continuous regional anesthesia [17] |
It uses catheters to continuously deliver local anesthetics to nerve bundles or epidural space. |
Applicable in surgeries requiring prolonged analgesia, such as extensive abdominal or thoracic procedures. |
Sustained pain relief, adjustable dosing, and reduced opioid requirement. |
Close monitoring is required, and catheter displacement and infection are risks. |
