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Analgesic effectiveness of nerve block in shoulder arthroscopy: comparison between interscalene, suprascapular and axillary nerve blocks

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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Postoperative pain in arthroscopic shoulder surgery cannot be easily controlled with analgesics and nerve blocks. This study shows the analgesic effect of interscalene block (ISB) and suprascapular nerve block and axillary nerve block (SSNB + ANB) in patients under patient controlled analgesia (PCA).

Methods

Sixty-one patients (26 men and 35 women) who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were selected and allocated non-randomly to one of three groups: PCA only-group, PCA with ISB-group and PCA with SSNB + ANB-group. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score, degree of satisfaction, PCA usage and incidence of nausea and vomiting were evaluated at the recovery room, 8, 16 and 24 postoperative hours.

Results

The VAS score of the PCA only-group was highest at the recovery room. The VAS score of the PCA with ISB-group was the lowest, however, with large fluctuations over time. Although the VAS score of the PCA with SSNB + ANB-group was higher than that of the PCA with ISB-group, it was steadily lower than the PCA-only group, without any fluctuations. The degree of satisfaction of the PCA with ISB-group was highest at the recovery room. The number of times the PCA was used at the 8-h postoperative evaluation was largest in the PCA only-group.

Conclusions

The initial 24 h after surgery plays a key role in controlling pain after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. PCA with SSNB + ANB is a better anaesthetic choice than PCA with ISB or PCA only during the initial 24 h of the postoperative period.

Level of evidence

Clinical study, Level II.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, 520-2, Dae-Heung Dong, Joong-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City, 302-803, South Korea

    Sang-Eun Park, Jong-Hun Ji, Syung-Kyun Choi & Jang-Su Park

  2. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea

    Sang Mook Lee

  3. Department of Radiology, Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea

    Min-Jeong Kwon

  4. Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea

    Yong-Seok Nam & Seung-Ho Han

  5. Department of Information Consulting, Mokwon University, Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea

    Kwang-Jin Lee

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  1. Sang Mook Lee
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  2. Sang-Eun Park
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  3. Yong-Seok Nam
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  9. Jang-Su Park
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Correspondence to Jong-Hun Ji.

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Lee, S.M., Park, SE., Nam, YS. et al. Analgesic effectiveness of nerve block in shoulder arthroscopy: comparison between interscalene, suprascapular and axillary nerve blocks. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20, 2573–2578 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1950-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1950-5

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