Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Sep 2010
Case ReportsUltrasound-guided continuous phrenic nerve block for persistent hiccups.
Phrenic nerve block can be performed and repeated if necessary for persistent hiccups, when conservative and pharmacological treatment is unsuccessful. We report the first description of an in-plane ultrasound (US)-guided phrenic nerve block (PhNB) with a catheter, after US investigation of the bilateral diaphragm, to treat hiccups while avoiding repeated PhNBs. ⋯ An US-guided in-plane PhNB with catheter is feasible and avoids repeated PhNB when hiccups reoccur. Ultrasound investigation of the bilateral diaphragm should be performed before performing the nerve block.