Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Feb 2002
Case Reports[Infraclavicular brachial plexus block using a multiple injection technique and an approach in the cranial direction in a patient with anticipated difficulties in tracheal intubation].
A man with a pathologic diaphysial fracture of the middle third of the left humerus underwent emergency surgery for osteosynthesis of the fracture. Preoperative examination revealed that intubation would be difficult due to a history of radical surgery for epidermoid carcinoma of the oropharynx, and local-regional anesthesia was therefore considered. ⋯ Among the various levels of brachial plexus blockade, the infraclavicular option is little known and the least utilized, considering that one of its advantages is that the upper limb does not need to be moved for referencing (giving it an advantage over the axillary block) and that it has a lower incidence of pneumothorax (in comparison with a supraclavicular approach). Combined with a multiple injection technique and puncture in a cephalad direction, this solution allowed proximal surgery to be performed on the arm of a patient in whom intubation would have been difficult.
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Feb 2002
Case Reports[Cardiorespiratory arrest: a rare complication of subdural block].
We report a case of accidental subdural block after epidural anesthesia that manifested as cardiac arrest due to extensive spinal blockade 20 minutes after administration of 50 mg of 0.5% bupivacaine. The event resolved without sequelae. Subdural placement of the catheter was verified by computed axial tomography contrast medium. ⋯ The characteristics of the space depend, therefore, on factors that come together at the site. These data explain the great variability in the clinical manifestations of a subdural block. The case of cardiopulmonary arrest we report is rare in the literature.