Articles: nerve-block.
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This study evaluated the spread of a local anesthetic, using MRI and sensory blockade, after an intertransverse process block (ITPB) at the medial aspect of the retro-superior costotransverse ligament (retro-SCTL) space - the medial retro-SCTL space block. ⋯ A single-injection medial retro-SCTL space block, at the T4-T5 level with 10.5 ml of local anesthetic, consistently spreads to the ipsilateral intercostal and paravertebral spaces, sympathetic chain, costotransverse space, neural foramina and epidural space, but produces ipsilateral sensory blockade that is variable and wider over the posterior than anterior hemithorax.
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Lung cancer surgery is associated with a high incidence of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP), which necessitates long-term analgesic prescriptions. However, while essential for managing pain, these have shown various adverse effects. Current guidelines recommend using peripheral nerve blocks over epidural anaesthesia for perioperative analgesia in minimally invasive thoracic surgery (MITS). However, the impact of perioperative analgesia on chronic analgesic prescriptions remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated chronic analgesic prescription patterns following MITS in patients with lung cancer who received either perioperative epidural anaesthesia or nerve block. ⋯ This nationwide retrospective study suggests that the choice between perioperative epidural anaesthesia or nerve block in patients with lung cancer undergoing MITS does not influence the proportion of postoperative chronic analgesic prescriptions.
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Case Reports
Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Nerve Block for Relief of Acute Cholecystitis Pain.
Acute cholecystitis is a common surgical emergency and a painful condition that often requires frequent intravenous opioid analgesia. Sometimes, pain control of patients with acute cholecystitis is challenging. In this case, we present a potential alternative to managing acute cholecystitis pain. ⋯ A 40-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with right upper quadrant pain. While awaiting testing and ultrasound, she received multiple doses of opioid analgesia. A point-of-care ultrasound of the right upper quadrant was performed and demonstrated findings of acute cholecystitis. Given that her pain was challenging to manage, even with intravenous opioids, an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (ESP) nerve block was discussed and subsequently performed at the T7 level. Thirty minutes after the procedure, the patient reported significant relief of her pain and did not require any opioid analgesia until ten hours later on the inpatient floor. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: ESP nerve blocks can potentially offer an alternative analgesic in the management of acute cholecystitis, subsequently reducing the use of opioids in the ED. ESP nerve blocks can potentially offer patients longer-lasting analgesia. ESP nerve blocks can potentially manage visceral pain in the ED.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Jan 2025
Perioperative Pain Management in Patients With Cancer-Related Pain: A Narrative Review.
The number of cancer patients, cancer survivors, and cancer surgeries is expected to continue to grow and anesthesiologists will benefit from having a framework on how to approach treating perioperative pain in the oncologic population. This article presents general considerations for formulating a perioperative pain management plan including cancer-specific contraindications for epidurals and nerve blocks, common procedures for pain after thoracic and abdominal surgeries, and alternative pain management techniques.