Effect of single intravenous injection of esketamine on quality of recovery during early period after modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer: A retrospective study

Objective: To assess the impact of a single esketamine intravenous (IV) injection on the quality of recovery during early period after modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 80 patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy under general anesthesia in Huzhou Maternity & Child Health Care Hospital from March to October 2022. All patients were between 35 to 55 years, weighting between 45 and 70 kg and Grade-I or II according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Patients were grouped based on the type of pain management used. Patients (n=40) who were given 0.25 mg/kg esketamine single IV injection prior to completion of the surgery were assigned to Group-E, and patients (n=40) who were not treated with esketamine, comprised the control Group-C. Patients’ data, such as education years, operation time, blood loss, the 9-item Quality of Recovery (QoR-9) scores before the anesthesia induction (T0), one (T1) and two hours after the extubation (T2), the 40-item Quality of Recovery (QoR-40) scores one (D1) and two days after the surgery (D2), and the rate of adverse reactions were assessed in both groups. Results: Compared with T0, the QoR-9 scores at T1 and T2 were markedly lower in all patients. Compared to Group-C, the QoR-9 scores at T1 and T2 in Group-E were considerably increased (P<0.05). Similarly, the QoR-40 scores on D1 and D2 in Group-E were significantly higher compared to Group-C (P