British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial
I.V. and perineural dexamethasone are equivalent in increasing the analgesic duration of a single-shot interscalene block with ropivacaine for shoulder surgery: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
Interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) provides excellent, but time-limited analgesia. Dexamethasone added to local anaesthetics prolongs the duration of a single-shot ISB. However, systemic glucocorticoids also improve postoperative analgesia. The hypothesis was tested that perineural and i.v. dexamethasone would have an equivalent effect on prolonging analgesic duration of an ISB. ⋯ I.V. dexamethasone is equivalent to perineural dexamethasone in prolonging the analgesic duration of a single-shot ISB with ropivacaine. As dexamethasone is not licensed for perineural use, clinicians should consider i.v. administration of dexamethasone to achieve an increased duration of ISB.