Continuous peripheral nerve blocks in children

In recent years, regional anaesthesia in children has generated increasing interest. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks have an important role in the anaesthetic arsenal, allowing effective, safe and prolonged postoperative pain management. Indications for continuous peripheral nerve blocks depend on benefits/risks analysis of each technique for each patient. The indications include surgery associated with intense postoperative pain, surgery requiring painful physical therapy, and complex regional pain syndrome. Continuous peripheral nerve blocks are usually performed under general anaesthesia or sedation, and require appropriate equipment in order to decrease the risk of nerve injury. New techniques, such as transcutaneous stimulation or ultrasound guidance, appear to facilitate nerve and plexus identification in paediatric patients. Nevertheless, continuous peripheral nerve block may mask compartment syndrome in certain surgical procedure or trauma. Finally, ropivacaine appears to be the best local anaesthetic for continuous peripheral nerve blocks in children, requiring low flow rate with low concentration of the local anaesthetic.     

Continuous peripheral nerve blocks in infants and children

This article describes the techniques and clinical efficacy of continuous peripheral nerve blocks in infants and children after orthopedic limb surgery. These techniques are reliable, safe, and easy to perform. They provide efficient pain relief after hand, femoral shaft, knee, or foot surgery. They are as efficient as epidural analgesia or parenteral opioids but induce fewer side effects. They therefore represent good alternatives to treat postoperative pain after limb surgery and should have a place of choice in the armamentarium of each anesthesiologist involved in the management of postoperative pain after pediatric orthopedic surgery. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.     

连续腰丛神经阻滞或连续股神经阻滞用于全膝关节置换术后镇痛的比较

目的 比较连续腰丛神经阻滞或连续股神经阻滞对全膝关节置换术后镇痛的效果.方法 50例择期腰麻下行单侧全膝关节置换的患者使用神经刺激器引导,随机均分为连续腰丛神经阻滞组(CLPB组)和连续股神经阻滞组(CFNB组).术后镇痛负荷剂量0.2％罗哌卡因0.4ml/kg,背景剂量0.2％罗哌卡因5 ml/h,冲击剂量2 ml/15 min,保留镇痛48 h.记录术后6、12、24、48 h时静息状态VAS评分,术后24、48 h膝关节功能锻炼时VAS评分和肌力评分.结果 CLPB组术后各时点静息状态和功能锻炼VAS评分均明显低于CFNB组(P＜0.05),肌力评分两组间差异无统计学意义.两组术后镇痛期间均无明显不良反应.结论 连续腰丛神经阻滞对于全膝关节术后镇痛的临床效果优于连续股神经阻滞.     

连续外周神经阻滞用于术后镇痛的研究进展

近年来,术后镇痛逐渐成为人们关注的热点.神经刺激器、超声定位等方法的出现使外周神经定位更加准确,罗哌卡因等新型局麻药的出现使药物的安全性不断提高,患者自控镇痛技术的日趋成熟使术后镇痛更易于管理.基于上述原因,连续外周神经阻滞作为一种镇痛效果好、安全系数高、易于操作的术后镇痛方法,其价值已越来越引起患者和医师的重视.     

A comparison of epidural analgesia with combined continuous femoral-sciatic nerve blocks after total knee replacement

Epidural analgesia remains the "gold standard" of pain relief after total knee replacement. However, peripheral nerve block is gaining popularity because the incidence of side effects may be reduced. Our study tests this postulate. Sixty patients were prospectively randomized to receive either epidural infusion or combined continuous femoral and sciatic nerve blocks. Ropivacaine 2 mg/mL plus sufentanil 1 mug/mL was given either epidurally or through the femoral nerve catheter, and ropivacaine 0.5 mg/mL was given through the sciatic nerve catheter using elastomeric infusers (delivering 5 mL/h for 55 h). The primary outcome measure was the total incidence of side effects (urinary retention and moderate to severe degrees of dizziness, pruritus, sedation, and nausea/vomiting on the first postoperative day). Intensity of motor blockade, pain at rest and on mobilization, and rehabilitation indices were also registered for 72 h. One or more side effects were present in 87% of patients in the epidural group whereas only 35% of patients in the femoral and sciatic block groups were affected on the first postoperative day (P = 0.0002). Motor blockade was more intense in the operated limb on the day of surgery and the first postoperative day in the peripheral nerve block group (P = 0.001), whereas the non-operated limb was more blocked in the epidural group on the day of surgery (P = 0.0003). Pain on mobilization was well controlled in both groups and there were no differences in the length of hospital stay. Rehabilitation indices were similar. The results demonstrate a reduced incidence of side effects in the femoral/sciatic nerve block group than in the epidural group on the first postoperative day.     

Perioperative truncal peripheral nerve blocks for bariatric surgery: an opioid reduction strategy

BackgroundBariatric surgical patients are vulnerable to cardiopulmonary depressant effects of opioids. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol to improve postoperative morbidity recommends regional anesthesia for postoperative pain management. However, there is limited evidence that peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) have added benefit.ObjectiveStudy the effect of PNB on postoperative pain and opioid use following bariatric surgery.SettingAcademic medical center, United States.MethodsWe conducted a cohort study of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. A total of 44 patients received the control ERAS protocol with preoperative oral extended-release morphine sulfate (MS), while 45 patients underwent a PNB with either intrathecal morphine (IM) or oral MS per local ERAS protocol. The PNB group either underwent preoperative bilateral T7 paravertebral (PVT) PNBs (27 patients) with IM or postoperative transversus abdominis plane (TAP) PNBs (18 patients) with oral MS. The primary outcome compared total opioid consumption between the ERAS control group and the PNB group up to 48 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included comparison by block type and postoperative pain scores.ResultsPVT or TAP PNB patients had a reduction in mean postoperative oral morphine equivalent (OME) requirements compared with the ERAS protocol cohort at 24 hours (93.9 versus 42.8 mg), P < .0001; at 48 hours (72.6 versus 40.5 mg); and in pain scores at 24 hours (5.64/10 versus 4.46/10), P = .02. OME and pain scores were higher in the SG cohort.ConclusionAddition of truncal PNB to standard ERAS protocol for bariatric surgical patients reduces postoperative total opioid consumption.     

Continuous peripheral nerve blocks with stimulating catheters

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the efficacy of stimulating catheters used for continuous peripheral nerve blocks as a means of immediate verification and confirmation of correct catheter position. METHODS: This observational study presents our experience with 130 stimulating catheters used in 40 intersternocleidomastoid, 24 axillary, 47 femoral, and 19 lateral midfemoral sciatic nerve blocks. Placement characteristics (amperage, depth of introducer needle or catheter insertion, elicited motor responses), subsequent postoperative analgesia, and catheter position evaluated with the radiopaque dye analysis were all studied. RESULTS: Except in femoral blocks, characteristics of motor responses elicited (1 Hz, 0,1 ms) by the introducer assembly and catheter differed. The amperage required to elicit motor responses typically was higher with the catheter than with the introducer needle (1.6 [0.2 to 4 mA] v 0.5 [0.4 to 1 mA] P <.0001). The ability to elicit a motor response with the stimulating catheter correlated with successful clinical anesthesia in 124 cases. Opacified radiography showed no aberrant position in these cases. Three catheters for upper limb block failed to stimulate, provided poor anesthesia, and had radiologic evidence of aberrant position. Even though they failed to stimulate, 3 catheters for sciatic block functioned well, and the opacified radiography showed correct position. CONCLUSION: The ability to electrostimulate nerves using an in situ catheter increases success rate in catheter placement for continuous peripheral nerve blocks. Further controlled investigations are necessary to compare this technique with more conventional methods in terms of cost and utility for various peripheral nerve blocks.     

超声引导下不同入路连续隐神经阻滞在膝关节镜术后镇痛效果中的比较

目的评价超声引导下不同入路连续隐神经阻滞在膝关节镜术后镇痛中的应用效果和对运动能力的影响。方法选择择期行全身麻醉膝关节镜手术患者48例,男42例,女6例,年龄25～33岁,体重65～81 kg,BMI 18.1～26.4 kg/m~2,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级。采用随机数字表法分为收肌管阻滞组(MG组)和大腿远端阻滞组(DG组),每组24例。患者麻醉诱导前均行超声引导下隐神经阻滞。MG组将导管置入收肌管间隙;DG组将导管置入隐神经周围约3 cm。两组均用超声定位导管位置,连接电子自控镇痛泵,镇痛泵设置两组相同。单次给药0.5%罗哌卡因+1%利多卡因20 ml,连接镇痛泵持续输入0.2%罗哌卡因。记录两组患者神经阻滞成功率,阿片类(舒芬太尼、瑞芬太尼)药用量,术后辅助镇痛情况,术后6、12、24 h静息时VAS评分和timed-up-and-go测试时间,记录术后24 h穿刺部位血肿、周围神经损伤、局麻药中毒、穿刺部位感染发生情况。结果两组患者神经阻滞成功率,阿片类(舒芬太尼、瑞芬太尼)药用量,辅助镇痛情况差异无统计学意义。术后6、12、24 h两组患者静息时VAS评分差异无统计学意义。术后6、12、24 h MG组timed-up-and-go测试时间明显长于DG组(P0.05)。两组患者均未出现穿刺部位血肿、周围神经损伤、局部麻醉药中毒、穿刺部位感染等不良反应。结论与收肌管处阻滞比较,超声引导下经大腿远端1/3处行连续隐神经阻滞可为膝关节镜手术提供相同的术后镇痛效果,并对运动能力影响更小,值得推广。