# Mastectomy With Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Under Regional Anesthesia in a Patient With a History of Multiple Anaphylactic Episodes

**Authors:** Kateryna Samalyuk, Margarida Alves, Céline Ferreira, Margarida Gil Pereira

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.83572 · Cureus · 2025-05-06

## TL;DR

A woman with a history of severe allergies successfully underwent mastectomy with regional anesthesia to avoid allergic reactions.

## Contribution

Demonstrates a safe anesthetic approach for high-risk allergy patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.

## Key findings

- Regional anesthesia with epidural and plane blocks allowed surgery without allergens.
- Patient tolerated the procedure with anxiolysis via music therapy.
- No allergic reactions occurred during or after the surgery.

## Abstract

We describe the case of a 55-year-old woman proposed for an elective unilateral mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy due to breast cancer. The patient has a history of four episodes of anaphylaxis, one of which occurred during the induction of general anesthesia and resulted in cardiorespiratory arrest, which was reversed with advanced life support. The intradermal tests confirmed allergy to propofol, all types of neuromuscular relaxants, ketorolac, acetylsalicylic acid, generic antibiotics, and iodinated contrast agents. Following a multidisciplinary discussion that included anesthesiology, gynecology, allergy and clinical immunology, and the patient, it was decided to perform a thoracic epidural block in combination with interpectoral and pectoserratus plane blocks for the surgery. The patient requested anxiolysis via music therapy. The procedure was uneventful, and the patient was transferred to the post-anesthetic care unit, where she remained under vigilance for 12 hours.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** propofol (PubChem CID 4943), ketorolac (PubChem CID 3826), acetylsalicylic acid (PubChem CID 2244)
- **Diseases:** breast cancer (MONDO:0004989)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** breast cancer (MESH:D001943), allergy (MESH:D004342), Anaphylactic (MESH:D000707), cardiorespiratory arrest (MESH:D006323)
- **Chemicals:** propofol (MESH:D015742), ketorolac (MESH:D020910), acetylsalicylic acid (MESH:D001241), neuromuscular relaxants (-)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## References

20 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12139570/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12139570