Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyHemidiaphragmatic Paralysis Following Ultrasound-Guided Supraclavicular Versus Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Blockade: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
The comparative incidences of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis associated with contemporary ultrasound-guided supraclavicular versus infraclavicular blockade have not received extensive study. We tested the hypothesis that the infraclavicular approach results in a lower incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis compared with supraclavicular blockade when a standard local anesthetic volume and concentration are used. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular blockade with 30 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine produced complete hemidiaphragmatic paralysis in approximately one-third of patients. The infraclavicular approach greatly reduced this risk but did not eliminate it. These data may aid in the selection of the approach to brachial plexus blockade, particularly in ambulatory patients and/or those with respiratory comorbidities.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2015
Fluoroscopic Evaluation of Contrast Distribution Within the Adductor Canal.
This case series assesses the in vivo spread of contrast within the adductor canal in subjects who recently underwent a total knee arthroplasty. A previous analysis of profound leg weakness with a continuous adductor canal revealed contrast spread from the adductor canal to the femoral triangle with as little as 2 mL of volume. ⋯ This study reveals that in vivo continuous infusions within the adductor canal spread in both a cephalad and caudad direction in limited fashion. Although a previous report described proximal spread of injectate to the level of the common femoral nerve, this event is infrequent.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2015
Review Meta AnalysisObesity and Chronic Pain: Systematic Review of Prevalence and Implications for Pain Practice.
The combination of obesity and pain may worsen a patient's functional status and quality of life more than each condition in isolation. We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE and the Cochrane databases for all reports published on obesity and pain. The prevalence of combined obesity and pain was substantial. ⋯ Screening for obesity, pain-related disability, and behavioral disorders as well as monitoring of functional performance should become routine in pain medicine practices. Such an approach requires additional physician and staff training. Further research should focus on better understanding the interplay between these 2 very common conditions and the development of effective treatment strategies.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2015
A Standardized Anesthetic and Surgical Clinical Pathway for Esophageal Resection: Impact on Length of Stay and Major Outcomes.
Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and esophageal resection is associated with extremely high perioperative morbidity and mortality. A perioperative clinical pathway for esophagectomy patients in which anesthetic care is both integral and standardized has not been described previously. ⋯ We present a detailed anesthetic and surgical perioperative pathway for esophageal resection, along with evidence of improved or stable patient outcomes despite an increase in comorbidity burden and increasingly advanced tumor stage.