Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEffect of local anesthetic volume (20 mL vs 30 mL ropivacaine) on electromyography of the diaphragm and pulmonary function after ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block: a randomized controlled trial.
Diaphragmatic paralysis following supraclavicular brachial plexus block (SCBPB) is ascribed to phrenic nerve palsy. This study investigated the effect of 2 volumes of 0.375% ropivacaine on efficacy of block as a surgical anesthetic and as an analgesic and examined diaphragm compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) and pulmonary function before and after SCBPB. ⋯ The incidence rates of phrenic nerve palsy and diaphragm paralysis were reduced, and lung function was less impaired in patients who received 20 mL vs 30 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine without any differences in block success. Selecting a lower volume of anesthetic for nerve block may be especially beneficial in obese patients or patients with cardiopulmonary disease.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2019
ReviewImpact of perioperative pain management on cancer recurrence: an ASRA/ESRA special article.
Cancer causes considerable suffering and 80% of advanced cancer patients experience moderate to severe pain. Surgical tumor excision remains a cornerstone of primary cancer treatment, but is also recognized as one of the greatest risk factors for metastatic spread. ⋯ In the perioperative period, anesthesiologists may have a brief and uniquewindow of opportunity to modulate the unwanted consequences of the stressresponse on the immune system and minimize residual disease. This reviewdiscusses the current research on analgesic therapies and their impact ondisease progression, followed by an evidence-based evaluation of perioperativepain interventions and medications.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2019
Peripheral nerve blocks are not associated with increased risk of perioperative peripheral nerve injury in a Veterans Affairs inpatient surgical population.
Perioperative peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a known complication in patients undergoing surgery with or without regional anesthesia. The incidence of new PNI in a Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient surgical population has not been previously described; therefore, the incidence, risk factors, and clinical course of new PNI in this cohort are unknown. We hypothesized that peripheral nerve blocks do not increase PNI incidence. ⋯ The incidence of new perioperative PNI for VA surgical inpatients is 1.2% and the use of peripheral nerve blocks is not an independent risk factor.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2019
Long-term efficacy of 1-1.2 kHz subthreshold spinal cord stimulation following failed traditional spinal cord stimulation: a retrospective case series.
We investigated whether an effective long-term pain relief could be achieved using subthreshold 1-1.2 kHz spinal cord stimulation (SCS) among patients who were initially implanted with traditional paresthesia-based SCS but who failed to maintain an adequate pain relief. ⋯ The results from our single center failed to show additional long-term clinical benefit of 1-1.2 kHz subthreshold SCS in patients with chronic pain failing traditional low-frequency SCS.