Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2017
Review Meta AnalysisInvestigating the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine as an Adjuvant to Local Anesthesia in Brachial Plexus Block: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 18 Randomized Controlled Trials.
Dexmedetomidine has been thought to be an effective adjuvant to local anesthetics in brachial plexus blockade. We sought to clarify the uncertainty that still exists as to its true efficacy. ⋯ Therapeutic, level I.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2017
ReviewEssentials of Our Current Understanding: Abdominal Wall Blocks.
Abdominal wall blocks rely on the spread of local anesthetic within musculofascial planes to anesthetize multiple small nerves or plexuses, rather than targeting specific nerve structures. Ultrasonography is primarily responsible for the widespread adoption of techniques including transversus abdominis plane and rectus sheath blocks, as well as the introduction of novel techniques such as quadratus lumborum and transversalis fascia blocks. These blocks are technically straightforward and relatively safe and reduce pain and opioid requirements in many clinical settings. ⋯ The extent of sensory blockade is also somewhat variable, because it depends on the achieved spread of local anesthetic and the anatomical course of the nerves being targeted. The blocks mainly provide somatic analgesia and are best used as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen. This review summarizes the anatomical, sonographic, and technical aspects of the abdominal wall blocks in current use, examining the current evidence for the efficacy and safety of each.
-
Shoulder surgery can result in significant postoperative pain. Interscalene brachial plexus blocks (ISBs) constitute the current criterion standard for analgesia but may be contraindicated in patients with pulmonary pathology due to the inherent risk of phrenic nerve block and symptomatic hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. Although ultrasound-guided ISB with small volumes (5 mL), dilute local anesthetic (LA) concentrations, and LA injection 4 mm lateral to the brachial plexus have been shown to reduce the risk of phrenic nerve block, no single intervention can decrease its incidence below 20%. ⋯ One intriguing solution lies in the combined use of infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks and suprascapular nerve blocks. Theoretically, the infraclavicular approach targets the posterior and lateral cords, thus anesthetizing the axillary nerve (which supplies the anterior and posterior shoulder joint), as well as the subscapular and lateral pectoral nerves (both of which supply the anterior shoulder joint), whereas the suprascapular nerve block anesthetizes the posterior shoulder. Future randomized trials are required to validate the efficacy of combined infraclavicular-suprascapular blocks for shoulder surgery.
-
Ocular motor palsy is a rare but alarming complication of subarachnoid puncture. In order to better understand this condition, a literature search was performed in English of PubMed articles for cranial nerves III, IV, and VI palsies after spinal puncture. Sixty-five articles (dated 1930-2015) were identified, and 114 cases were obtained for analysis. ⋯ Treatments included the horizontal position along with analgesics, fluid therapy, and corticosteroids. The usefulness of blood patch remains controversial. It is important for anesthesiologists and other physicians to recognize the cardinal features of this process to ensure early diagnosis, avoid unnecessary tests, and guide appropriate treatment.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Sep 2016
Review Meta AnalysisThe Impact of Neuraxial Versus General Anesthesia on the Incidence of Postoperative Surgical Site Infections Following Knee or Hip Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis.
Recent studies have yielded conflicting results on the association between anesthesia technique and incidence of postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs) after knee arthroplasty (KA) and hip arthroplasty (HA). Our group conducted a meta-analysis of all available studies to clarify this potential association. ⋯ Synthesis of the existing evidence supports the overall beneficial effects of neuraxial anesthesia in decreasing the development of SSI after joint arthroplasty (KA and HA). Given the limitations associated with interpretation of data from large observational trials, further investigation using prospective randomized trial design is warranted in this promising area.