Table 1 The characteristics of the included studies

Aksu 2019 [16]

MRM; mastectomy+SLNB;

Lumpectomy+ ALND

Before induction of GA

25

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 20 ml (10 ml for each level) at bi-level (T2-T4)

N

fentanyl 2 mg/kg,

tramadol, paracetamol

morphine PCA

Not reported

25

GA group: Received no intervention

Elsabeeny 2020 [17]

MRM

After induction of GA

25

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 25 mL at the T5 vertebral level

N

intravenous morphine 0.1 mg/kg.

Ketorolac morphine prn

Not reported

25

GA group: Received no intervention

Gürkan 2018 [18]

MRM; mastectomy+SLNB;

Lumpectomy+ ALND

Before induction of GA

25

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 20 ml at the T4 vertebral level

N

fentanyl 2 mg/kg,

tramadol, paracetamol

morphine PCA

Not reported

25

GA group: Received no intervention

Gürkan 2020 [19]

MRM;Breast conserving surgery mastectomy

Before induction of GA

25

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 20 ml at T4 vertebral level.

N

fentanyl 2 mg/kg,

tramadol, paracetamol

morphine PCA paracetamol 1 mg for every 6 h

Not reported

25

GA group: Received no intervention

He

2020 [20]

MRM ± ALND

Before induction of GA

20

ESPB group: 0.5%ropivacaine 20 ml at the vertebral T3 level

N

N/S

Flurbiprofen axetil prn

Not reported

20

GA group: Received no intervention

Li 2020 [21]

MRM

Before induction of GA

30

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 30 ml at T3-T5 vertebral level.

N

fentanyl

morphine PCA

Not reported

30

GA group: Received no intervention

Seelam 2020 [22]

MRM

Before induction of GA

50

ESPB group: 0.25% bupivacaine 30 ml T4 transverse process

N

fentanyl 1.5μg/kg

Morphine prn paracetamol 1 g TID

Not reported

50

GA group: Received no intervention

Sharma 2020 [23]

total mastectomy + ALND

Before induction of GA

30

ESPB group: 0.5%ropivacaine 20 ml, 0.4 mL/kg the T5 level

Y

fentanyl 1μg/kg,

diclofenac 1.5 mg/kg

morphine PCA paracetamol 1 g TID

Not reported

30

GA group: Received no intervention

Singh 2019 [24]

MRM

Before induction of GA

20

ESPB group: 0.5% bupivacaine 20 ml at the T5 vertebral level

Y

morphine 0.1 mg/kg

morphine PCA, diclofenac 1.5 mg/kg TID

Not reported

20

GA group: Received no intervention

Wang 2019 [25]

radical mastectomy

Before induction of GA

50

ESPB group: 0.375%ropivacaine 20 ml at the T5 spinous process

Y

sufentanil 0.4 μg/kg

Sufentanil PCA, Flurbiprofen axetil

prn

skin itch

50

GA group: Received no intervention

Yao

2019 [26]

MRM

Before induction of GA

39

ESPB group: 0.5%ropivacaine 25 ml at the T4 spinous process

N

Sufentanil 0.5 μg/kg

Sufentanil PCA flurbiprofen axetil 50 mg TID

Not reported

40

GA group: 0.9% physiological saline 25 ml