Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Dec 2023
Case ReportsPostoperative analgesia for Kasai portoenterostomy using external oblique intercostal blocks.
External Oblique Intercostal (EOI) fascial plane blockade is a relatively new regional anesthetic technique used for a variety of upper abdominal surgical procedures. Proponents of this block praise its simple sonoanatomy, extensive local anesthetic (LA) spread, and ease of catheter placement, while avoiding encroachment into the surgical field or dressing sites; nevertheless, it is underutilized in pediatric surgery. Kasai portoenterostomy is a common pediatric surgical procedure for biliary atresia typically done via an open abdominal approach with an extended subcostal incision. Postoperative analgesic management with epidural anesthetic techniques are considered but may be limited by periprocedural coagulopathy concerns. ⋯ The purpose of this report is to describe the outcomes and technical approach in a neonate who received EOI blocks as an alternative to epidural anesthetic management. Further studies are needed to compare the efficacy and complication rate of EOI blockade to epidural analgesia for Kasai portoenterostomy surgery.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Dec 2023
Identification of interfascial plane using injection pressure monitoring at the needle tip during ultrasound-guided TAP block in cadavers.
Consistency in needle tip positioning within interfascial planes while performing infiltrative blocks under ultrasound guidance can be difficult. The exact determination of such planes may beyond the physical limits of common ultrasound machines. Aim of this pilot study was to understand if real-time continuous injection pressure monitoring at the needle tip, combined with ultrasound guidance, can help to immediately and consistently identify an interfascial plane needle tip placement. ⋯ The identified injection pressure pattern, together with ultrasound image, may help in determine real-time the needle tip position, while performing a TAP block.