1/19. Continuous shoulder analgesia via an indwelling axillary brachial plexus catheter.Continuous interscalene brachial plexus blockade can provide anesthesia and analgesia in the shoulder region. Difficulty accessing the interscalene space and premature displacement of interscalene catheters may preclude their use in certain situations. We present two case reports in which a catheter was advanced from the axilla along the brachial plexus sheath to the interscalene space to provide continuous cervicobrachial plexus analgesia. In the first case report, previous neck surgery made the anatomic landmarks for performing an interscalene block very difficult. An epidural catheter was advanced from the axillary brachial plexus sheath to the interscalene space under fluoroscopic guidance. This technique provided both intraoperative analgesia for shoulder surgery as well as 24-hour postoperative analgesia by an infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine. In the second case report, a catheter was inserted in a similar fashion from the axillary to the interscalene space to provide 14 days of continuous analgesia in the management of complex regional pain syndrome. We have found that this technique allows us to secure the catheter more easily than with the traditional interscalene approach and thus prevents premature dislodgment. This approach may be a suitable alternative when either an interscalene or an infraclavicular catheter may not be inserted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = plexus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/19. Opioid-free analgesia following total knee arthroplasty--a multimodal approach using continuous lumbar plexus (psoas compartment) block, acetaminophen, and ketorolac.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Traditionally, postoperative analgesia following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been provided by neuraxial or peripheral regional techniques with supplemental administration of opioids. We report an alternative method of postoperative pain management for patients undergoing TKA in whom the use of systemic or neuraxial opioids may result in significant side effects. CASE REPORT: A 74-year-old woman with a history of protracted nausea and vomiting after systemic and neuraxial opioid administration presented for left total knee arthroplasty. A spinal anesthetic with postoperative continuous lumbar plexus (psoas) analgesia was planned. A quadriceps motor response was elicited and a 20-gauge catheter was advanced through an 18-gauge insulated Tuohy needle into the psoas sheath. After 30 mL of bupivacaine 0.5% with 100 microg clonidine was administered through the psoas catheter, a spinal anesthetic (2 mL 0.5% bupivacaine at the L2-3 interspace) was performed. A continuous psoas infusion of 0.2% bupivacaine with 2 microg/mL clonidine at 8 mL/h was initiated in the recovery room. The psoas infusion was subsequently changed to 0.2% bupivacaine without clonidine and the rate increased to 10 mL/h. Supplemental analgesia with oral acetaminophen 1 g every 4 to 6 hours alternating with intravenous ketorolac 15 mg every 6 hours provided satisfactory analgesia, with visual analog scale (VAS) scores of 0 to 2 at rest and 3 to 4 with movement. The psoas catheter was removed 48 hours postoperatively because of prolongation of the prothrombin time. VAS scores remained 0 to 3 throughout the remainder of her hospitalization. CONCLUSION: A multimodal approach consisting of continuous lumbar plexus (psoas) block and nonopioid analgesics successfully provided postoperative pain relief in our patient and facilitated her physical rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.75keywords = plexus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/19. Continuous axillary brachial plexus analgesia in a patient with severe hemophilia.Until now, the safety of continuous axillary brachial plexus block in a patient with hemophilia has not been reported. We describe the use of continuous axillary brachial plexus block for postoperative pain control in a patient with severe hemophilia after an elbow surgery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.75keywords = plexus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/19. Diabetic thoracic radiculopathy: an unusual cause of post-thoracotomy pain.Persistent pain is common following thoracotomy. A 64-year-old retired electrician with Type 2 diabetes presented with chest wall and abdominal pain 3 months following video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Postoperatively the patient had suffered pain despite a functioning thoracic epidural catheter. Following investigation, his persistent pain was due to diabetic thoracic radiculopathy (DTR). The disorder is characterized by pain, sensory loss, abdominal and thoracic muscle weakness in patients with diabetes. As in this patient, the pain and sensory loss usually resolve within one year after onset. The disorder may be distinguished from intercostal neuralgia based upon clinical and electromyographic features.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00058556245990922keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/19. Myofascial pain from pectoralis major following trans-axillary surgery.This is the first reported description, to the author's knowledge, of myofascial pain occurring at a surgical drain site. The patient consulted a medical acupuncturist after suffering five months of continuous chest and arm pain associated with 'tingling' in the forearm and hand. She had undergone trans-axillary resection of the first left rib following a left axillary vein thrombosis 18 months previously. Her symptoms had been principally attributed to nerve traction at surgery or nerve root entrapment from scar tissue. However, the drain passed through the free border of pectoralis major, and the myofascial trigger point that appeared to develop as a result of the muscle trauma, or the pain at that site, presented as a chronic and complex post-surgical pain problem. The pain and tingling resolved completely after two sessions of dry needling at a single myofascial trigger point in the free border of the left pectoralis major muscle.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00058556245990922keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/19. Delayed retroperitoneal haematoma after failed lumbar plexus block.A 72-yr-old patient was to undergo a left lumbar plexus block by the posterior approach to achieve postoperative analgesia after hip replacement. The block failed after three unsuccessful attempts to identify nerve structures and a fascia iliaca compartment block was performed. Postoperatively the patient received enoxaparin and then phenylindanedione for thromboprophylaxis. She was re-admitted 2 weeks after surgery because of a lower limb motor deficit and a left retroperitoneal haematoma requiring blood transfusion. Clinicians need to be aware of this potential complication of lumbar plexus block in patients receiving thrombphylaxis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.75keywords = plexus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/19. A case report of anesthetic management of the minimally invasive Nuss operation for pectus excavatum.We describe the anesthetic management of a patient with pectus excavatum, receiving the minimally invasive Nuss operation, which corrects chest wall deformity by insertion of a convex steel bar (pectus bar). An 8-year-old female patient was scheduled for the Nuss operation. The manipulation of the bar in the thorax was guided by thoracic endoscopy. Anesthesia was maintained with a combination of general and epidural anesthesia. The intraarterial catheter and epidural catheter were inserted after the induction of general anesthesia. During the manipulation of the pectus bar in the anterior mediastinum, a sudden decrease in arterial pressure might occur due to the compression of the heart. Therefore, the intraarterial line was essential for continuous monitoring of arterial pressure. The pectus bar causes severe postoperative pain, and the patient was required to remain at bed rest for several days. Continuous epidural infusion of ropivacaine and morphine eliminated the postoperative pain and enabled the patient to maintain bed rest. For the anesthetic managements of patients undergoing the Nuss operation, close monitoring of arterial pressure intraoperatively and postoperative analgesia are important.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00058556245990922keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/19. An unusual complication of interscalene brachial plexus catheterization: delayed catheter migration.This case report describes the delayed migration of an interscalene brachial plexus catheter that was inserted for postoperative analgesia and to facilitate physiotherapy after shoulder surgery. Approximately 18 h after surgery the catheter was found to have migrated into the interpleural space, which could have resulted in a serious complication, namely a pneumothorax.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.625keywords = plexus (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/19. Continuous maxillary and mandibular nerve block for perioperative pain relief: the excision of a complicated pleomorphic adenoma.A 68-yr-old hypertensive patient with ischemic heart disease and intractable atrial fibrillation with stable hemodynamics and poor chest compliance underwent pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland using regional anesthesia with continuous propofol sedation. Continuous maxillary and mandibular nerve blocks were performed and excision was performed with complete intraoperative and postoperative pain relief without compromising the patient's hemodynamic variables.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00058556245990922keywords = chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/19. chest pain in the early postoperative period after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: four case reports.Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is gaining popularity as a technique for achieving effective weight loss in the severely obese population. It is a minimally invasive procedure and the reported early morbidity is low. However, we have observed at our institution that occasional patients complain of central chest pain, mimicking angina (verbal pain score of > 7 out of 10), within 2 h after the procedure. This is a worrying symptom because obesity is known to be a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular complications. We have now performed 250 LAGB operations at our hospital. The following four case reports document our patients who presented with early chest pain postoperatively. Common characteristics of male gender, morbid obesity and some degree of obstructive sleep apnoea were identified among the cases. The aetiology of the chest pain is uncertain; nevertheless, close monitoring is vital to exclude pathological events such as acute coronary syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.030691160187069keywords = chest pain, chest (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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