Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2007
Comparative StudyComparison of different injectate volumes for stellate ganglion block: an anatomic and radiologic study.
Volumes from 5 to 20 mL of local anesthetic are used for stellate ganglion block. The variation of practice gave us the impetus to investigate the distribution of 3 different volumes of solution. We documented the regions reached by each volume to assess the possibility to reduce the injectate to 5 mL. ⋯ The use of 5 mL results in an almost ideal vertical distribution in most of the cadavers, whereas high volumes--20 mL more so than 10 mL--are at risk of spreading extensively in both the vertical direction and also uncontrollably to other regions of the neck.
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We aimed to describe the ultrasound appearance of the radial nerve in the lateral aspect of the distal upper arm. This procedure was done to identify potential novel sites for ultrasound-guided radial-nerve block. ⋯ Points B and C may represent convenient, novel sites for ultrasound-guided radial-nerve block. The nerve is clearly visualized and has not yet divided into superficial and deep branches. Point C may be the optimal site for radial-nerve block because of the smaller risk of vessel puncture. Our observations also demonstrate the ability of ultrasound to identify nerves at sites not clearly defined by surface anatomic landmarks.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · May 2007
Chronic intrathecal infusion of minocycline prevents the development of spinal-nerve ligation-induced pain in rats.
Minocycline is a second-generation tetracycline with multiple biological effects, including inhibition of microglial activation. Recently, microglial activation has been implicated in the development of nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. In this study, the authors examined the effects of continuous intrathecal minocycline on the development of neuropathic pain and microglial activation induced by L5/6 spinal-nerve ligation in rats. ⋯ In this study, the authors demonstrate the preventive effect of continuous intrathecal minocycline on the development of nociceptive behaviors induced by L5/6 spinal-nerve ligation in rats. Further studies are required to examine if continuous intrathecal minocycline could be used safely in the clinical setting.