A&A practice
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While it has been shown that a paravertebral block provides effective postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing thoracic surgeries, including first rib resection, this is the first reported case of a paravertebral catheter used for perioperative analgesia in a patient undergoing first rib resection. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman with right upper extremity swelling who underwent infraclavicular first rib resection for venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Continuous infusion of ropivacaine through a T1 paravertebral catheter, which was placed before induction of general anesthesia but after T1 and T2 paravertebral blocks, provided effective postoperative pain control. Our experience suggests that paravertebral catheter infusions of local anesthetics may be effective adjuncts to general anesthesia in patients undergoing first rib resection and warrants further investigation.
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Case Reports
Axillary Artery Dissection After Ultrasound-Guided Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: A Case Report.
A 52-year-old man with end-stage renal disease underwent ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block for revision of an arteriovenous fistula. On postoperative day 2, the patient developed pain and loss of motor function in the surgical extremity. ⋯ Sensory deficits resolved over the next 3 days. Smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic intake of a calcineurin inhibitor might have predisposed the patient to iatrogenic arterial dissection.
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Gaucher disease is a common inborn error of metabolism leading to widespread chronic inflammation and often thrombocytopenia. Here we discuss assessment of coagulation in a parturient with Gaucher disease treated with imiglucerase, who presented with thrombocytopenia and requested epidural analgesia for planned vaginal delivery. We used thromboelastography to determine the safety of placing an epidural catheter and to plan for potential peripartum bleeding. The patient had a normal coagulation profile by thromboelastography and had uncomplicated epidural analgesia for a successful spontaneous vaginal delivery.