Different Volumes of Local Anesthetics in Ultrasound-Guided Combined Interscalene-Supraclavicular Block for Traumatic Humeral Fracture

Background: Procedures that require anesthesia of entire length of the arm should have combined Interscalene block (ISB) and Supraclavicular block (SCB) to ensure adequate block. However, dual block requires high dose of local anesthetic (LA). We examined if Ultrasound (U/S) guided block helps to decrease the required volume of LA by visualizing trunks, so we only need injection of LA toward cervical nerve roots C5 and C6 aiming to block branches escaped from supraclavicular block. Patients and methods: Ninety-three patients were randomly allocated into one of three equal groups, each included 31 patients. All patients received SCB 20 ml (10 ml Bupivacaine 0.5% plus 10 ml lidocaine 2%) and ISB with different volumes of LA according to the group as follow: group A: 20 ml, group B: 15 ml, and group C: 10 ml. Result: No significant difference in onset of block (sensory and motor) and duration of block (motor only) between the three groups (P value > 0.05). The duration of sensory block was significantly longer in group A (760.65 ± 30.87 minutes) than in either group B (740.48 ± 21.15 minutes, P value P value P value P value P value P value < 0.001). Conclusion: A reduced volume of LA can be used in ultra sound guided ISB in combined with SCB to give satisfactory level of anesthesia to entire length of the arm, but the sensory block duration and duration of post-operative analgesia will be decreased significantly with decreasing the volume.

A Retrospective Comparison of Interscalene Continuous Catheter Verse Single-Injection with Liposomal Bupivacaine in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Background: One common method of pain control for total shoulder arthroplasty is long-duration delivery of local anesthetic via interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) with a continuous catheter. Alternatively, liposomal bupivacaine has also been administered as an ISB as a means to prolong the analgesic effect. This study was completed to measure the non-inferiority of single-injection ISB with liposomal bupivacaine compared with ISB continuous catheter for total shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent total shoulder arthroplasty using either an ISB continuous catheter or a single injection ISB with liposomal bupivacaine for post operative analgesia. The primary goal of this study was to determine if single-injection with liposomal bupivacaine conferred non-inferior pain scores compared to the continuous catheter. Secondary outcomes evaluated oxygen saturation as a measure of hemidiaphragmatic paresis, post operative opioid requirements, and difference in cost. Results: We identified 333 patients for the study: 126 received continuous catheter and 207 received single-injection with liposomal bupivacaine. The median length of stay was 1 day. Pain scores for those treated with single-injection with liposomal bupivacaine were non-inferior to pain scores of those treated with the continuous catheter on post-op days 0, 1 and 2. Pain scores were lower for single-injection with liposomal bupivacaine patients on days 3 and 4, however they did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant difference in oxygen saturation between the two groups. Both groups had similar daily morphine milligram equivalent requirements. Liposomal bupivacaine ISB was also found to be less expensive. Conclusion: Single-injection ISB with liposomal bupivacaine provides non-inferior analgesia at a reduced cost compared with continuous catheter ISB for total shoulder arthroplasty.