Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2024
Randomized Controlled TrialReal-time ultrasound guidance versus fluoroscopic guidance in thoracic epidural catheter placement: a single-center, non-inferiority, randomized, active-controlled trial.
Fluoroscopy can improve the success rate of thoracic epidural catheter placement (TECP). Real-time ultrasound (US)-guided TECP was recently introduced and showed a high first-pass success rate. We tested whether real-time US-guided TECP results in a non-inferior first-pass success rate compared with that of fluoroscopy-guided TECP. ⋯ Real-time US guidance provided a non-inferior success rate and shorter time spent on preparation and procedure compared with fluoroscopic guidance in TECP.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2024
Spread of local anesthetic injected in the paravertebral space, intertransverse processes space, and erector spinae plane: a cadaveric model.
Paraspinal fascial plane blocks have become popular and include the erector spinae plane (ESP) and intertransverse process (ITP) blocks. Controversy exists regarding the exact mechanism(s) of these blocks. We aimed to evaluate the spread of local anesthetic (LA) following ESP and ITP blocks as compared with paravertebral (PV) blocks in a cadaveric model. ⋯ Based on the results of this cadaveric experimental model of paraspinal fascial plane blocks, LA spread following ITP blocks extends into both the PV space and the erector spine fascial plane, and thus may offer a more favorable analgesic profile than ESP blocks.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2024
Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and spinal cord stimulator implantation.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most dreaded complications after spinal cord stimulation (SCS) implantation surgery. As a result, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has been proposed to avoid accidental damage to nervous structures under anesthesia and confirm positioning for optimal stimulation. Our study uses a large administrative claims database to determine the 30-day risk of SCI after SCS implantation. ⋯ Increased SCI risk among patients with IONM likely reflects higher baseline risk, and further research is needed for risk mitigation.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Mar 2024
EEG response to a high volume (1.5 mL/kg) caudal block in infants less than 3 months.
The substantial compression of the dural sac and the subsequent cranial shift of cerebrospinal fluid caused by a high-volume caudal block has been shown to significantly but transiently reduce cerebral blood flow. The aim of the present study was to determine whether this reduction in cerebral perfusion is significant enough to alter brain function, as assessed by electroencephalography (EEG). ⋯ A high-volume caudal block appears to increase intracranial pressure, thereby reducing cerebral blood flow, to the extent that it transiently will affect cerebral function as assessed by EEG (increased delta power activity) in approximately 90% of small infants.
-
The superficial and deep parasternal intercostal plane (DPIP) blocks are two new blocks for thoracic pain. There are limited cadaveric studies evaluating the dye spread with these blocks. In this study, we examined the dye spread of an ultrasound-guided DPIP block in a human cadaveric model. ⋯ The DPIP block spreads along the tissue plane above the transversus thoracis muscles to multiple levels to dye the intercostal nerves in this cadaver study. This block may be of clinical value for analgesia in anterior thoracic surgical procedures.