Articles: nerve-block.
-
Tech Hand Up Extrem Surg · Sep 2006
ReviewConfirmatory needle placement technique for scalene muscle block in the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Scalene muscle block is often performed to assist with the clinical differentiation of primary sources of pain and weakness in the upper limb when the differential diagnosis includes thoracic outlet syndrome. This presentation offers a simple clinical method to assess needle placement in the scalene muscle before an injection of local anesthetic which, if properly placed, weakens the scalene muscle and often leads to temporary relief of symptoms associated with neurovascular compression. An appropriate scalene block response provides assistance with medical decision making.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Sep 2006
ReviewHead and neck blocks in children: an anatomical and procedural review.
Children undergo a variety of neurosurgical, otorhinolaryngology and plastic surgery procedures to the head and neck. Although opioids are utilized for pain control, they are associated with adverse side effects including postoperative nausea and vomiting, respiratory depression, somnolence and itching. The utilization of peripheral nerve blocks provides analgesia while reducing the need for opioids. This review will provide a summary of a variety of commonly used head and neck nerve blocks in children with a brief anatomical and technical summary.
-
Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialPreincisional paravertebral block reduces the prevalence of chronic pain after breast surgery.
We reported earlier that preincisional paravertebral block (PVB) provides significant immediate postoperative analgesia after breast cancer surgery. In the same patients (n = 60), a 1-yr follow-up was performed to find out whether PVB could also reduce the prevalence of postoperative chronic pain. The follow-up consisted of a 14-day symptom diary and telephone interviews 1, 6, and 12 mo after surgery. ⋯ These findings were independent of whether or not axillary dissection had been performed. The incidence of neuropathic pain was low (two and three patients in the PVB and control groups, respectively). In addition to providing acute postoperative pain relief, preoperative PVB seems to reduce the prevalence of chronic pain 1 yr after breast cancer surgery.
-
Reg Anesth Pain Med · Sep 2006
Combined lumbar-plexus and sciatic-nerve blocks: an analysis of plasma ropivacaine concentrations.
Lumbar-plexus and sciatic-nerve blocks are commonly combined for lower-extremity anesthesia using large doses of ropivacaine. Limited information is available about the pharmacokinetics of this practice. We analyzed plasma ropivacaine concentrations after single-injection lumbar-plexus blocks with and without sciatic-nerve blocks. ⋯ The results of this study demonstrate that the plasma ropivacaine concentrations increase quicker when a sciatic-nerve block is added to a lumbar-plexus block, but C(max) remains below the toxicity threshold.