Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2016
Review Case ReportsCombined Fascia Iliaca and Sciatic Nerve Block for Hip Surgery in the Presence of Severe Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Case-Based Literature Review.
Selecting an appropriate anesthetic technique for patients with ankylosing spondylitis undergoing hip surgery is challenging because of a potentially difficult airway, the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory complications, and the technical difficulty of performing central neuraxial blocks in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Our objective was to report a case in which combination neural blockade was used successfully in an elderly patient with ankylosing spondylitis undergoing hip fracture surgery. In addition, a literature review of the anesthetic techniques reported for these patients was conducted. ⋯ According to the literature review, general anesthesia is the most commonly performed anesthetic technique for patients with ankylosing spondylitis undergoing hip surgeries. Special intubation techniques and cautious airway management were very important for these patients. Although both general anesthesia and central neuraxial blockade pose considerable risks to the patients, this case report suggests that combined fascia iliaca block and sciatic nerve block might be a promising option.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2016
Review Meta AnalysisLumbar Neuraxial Ultrasound for Spinal and Epidural Anesthesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
This systematic review examines the evidence for preprocedural neuraxial ultrasound as an adjunct to lumbar spinal and epidural anesthesia in adults. ⋯ We know that neuraxial ultrasound is a useful complement to clinical examination when performing lumbar central neuraxial blocks. It provides anatomical information including the depth of the epidural space, the identity of a given intervertebral level, and the location of the midline and interspinous/interlaminar spaces. This information can be used to successfully guide subsequent needle insertion.Since 2010, new data from RCTs and 1 meta-analysis suggest that neuraxial ultrasound increases the success and reduces the technical difficulty of lumbar central neuraxial blocks. Findings from the meta-analysis suggest that neuraxial ultrasound reduces the risk of traumatic procedures, and thus may possibly contribute to the safety of lumbar central neuraxial blocks.