Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Oct 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialImpact of an extrafascial versus intrafascial injection for supraclavicular brachial plexus block on respiratory function: a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial.
Hemidiaphragmatic paresis after ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block is reported to occur in up to 67% of patients. We tested the hypothesis that an injection outside the brachial plexus sheath reduces the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis compared with an intrafascial injection while providing similar analgesia. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block with an extrafascial injection does not reduce the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis although it provides similar analgesia, when compared with an intrafascial injection. The longer time to surgery readiness is less compatible with contemporary operating theater efficiency requirements.