Systemic local anaesthetic toxicity from continuous thoracic paravertebral block

Continuous paravertebral block is commonly used for post-thoracotomy analgesia and compares favourably with other systemic and regional methods with regard to safety and efficacy. No major complications of continuous paravertebral block for post-thoracotomy analgesia have been reported previously. We report here a case of systemic local anaesthetic toxicity from continuous paravertebral block administration after thoracotomy and lobectomy leading to seizure, aspiration, and ultimately, death. Potential contributing factors in this case included small patient size, concomitant antifungal therapy, extensive surgical disruption of the pleurae, and inappropriate paravertebral bolus administration. Postoperative delirium was a diagnostic confounder. We discuss the potential causes and means of avoiding similar complications in the future.     

Bilateral thoracic paravertebral block for abdominoplasty

Thoracic bilateral paravertebral block is a technique commonly used in the ambulatory setting for numerous plastic surgery procedures. Paravertebral block has not been reported with abdominoplasty surgery. This case series explores this anesthetic technique in the inpatient and day patient setting.     

Neurolytic thoracic paravertebral block in cancer pain

Background : Paravertebral block has successfully been used in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. The duration of paravertebral block could theoretically be prolonged by using neurolytic agents.
Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the results of neurolytic paravertebral blocks performed in 7 patients suffering from intense cancer-related thoracic pain. Thirty-seven spinal nerve roots were blocked during 20 visits. Nerve roots were identified by eliciting paresthesia radiating to the painful area. Each root was blocked separately. After test block using 0.5% bupivacaine, the paravertebral blocks were performed with 1–4 ml of 7% phenol in aqua.
Results : No technical failures or complications were recorded in the patient files. Pain relief lasted over 2 months after 4 visits (20%), from 1 week to 1 month after 5 visits (25%), and less than 1 week after a single visit (5%). After 9 visits (45%), the results were poor with no significant pain relief.
Conclusion : Neurolytic paravertebral block with phenol doses used in our patients appears to have only limited use. Some patients with pain restricted to a small number of thoracic segments may benefit from its use. Because of complication risks, this technique should be limited to intractable pain in cancer patients with poor prognosis.     

Use of ultrasound for thoracic paravertebral block

Thoracic paravertebral block is the technique of injecting local anesthetic adjacent to the intervertebral foramina, resulting in unilateral somatic and sympathetic nerve blockade. Previous studies have reported its effectiveness for thoracic surgery including breast surgery and relief of postoperative and chronic pain of unilateral origin from the chest and abdomen. The technique is relatively easy to learn and safer than thoracic epidural. Its clinical advantages include the inhibition of stress and pressor responses to surgical stimuli, maintenance of hemodynamic stability, low incidence of complication, long duration of analgesia, and few contraindications. Recent advances in ultrasound technology can further increase the effectiveness and the safety of thoracic paravertebral block, although identification of the nerve and needle is not still possible.     

Thoracic paravertebral block compared to thoracic paravertebral block plus pectoral nerve block in reconstructive breast surgery

IntroductionMajor breast surgery was usually performed under general anaesthesia until the first patient series with thoracic paravertebral block was published. This block was introduced into our Hospital, and with the purpose of obtaining a more comfortable perioperative period, it was combined with blocking the pectoral nerves. In this study, both anaesthetic techniques are compared, as regards control of postoperative pain, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and sedation requirements.Material and methodsAn observational study was conducted with 60 patients scheduled for breast surgery with subpectoral implants (augmentation and /or prosthesis). Two groups were studied. The first (Group I) was randomly selected from a patient records data base to have thoracic paravertebral block and sedation. In the second (Group II), a pectoral nerve block was performed combined with a thoracic paravertebral block.ResultsIn Group I, 33.3% of the patients had a score of ≤ 3 on the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 8 hours, and 66.7% had a VAS score of ≥ 4 at 24 h, compared to 80% of the Group II patients who had a VAS score of ≤ 3 at 8 hours and 20% with a VAS score ≥ 4 at 24 h. The mean difference in the VAS scores at 8 hours between the two groups was statistically significant: mean VAS score at 8 hours in Group I, 4.23±2.4 compared to 1.77±2.2 in Group II. There was no difference in the VAS scores at 24 hours. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The need for intra-operative sedation supplements with propofol boluses was less in Group II, 40% compared to 90% in Group II.ConclusionsPectoral nerve block is a technique that improves the results obtained with thoracic paravertebral block in reconstructive breast surgery, with better post-operative analgesic control in the immediate post-operative period and a lower requirement for sedation.     

超声引导下胸椎旁连续阻滞对食管癌根治术老年患者术后谵妄的影响

目的观察超声引导下置管连续胸椎旁阻滞(paravertebral block, PVB)用于开胸手术镇痛对患者术后谵妄(postoperative delirium,POD)的影响。方法选择择期在全麻下接受食管癌根治术的老年患者112例,男55例,女57例,年龄65～75岁,BMI 18.5～30 kg/m~2,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级,随机分为两组:胸椎旁阻滞PVB组(P组)和静脉自控镇痛PCIA组(C组),P组54例,C组58例。P组使用PVB,C组使用舒芬太尼PCIA。记录术后1、2和3 d患者发生POD的情况;术中丙泊酚和瑞芬太尼的用量;患者术后不同时点静息和咳嗽时VAS评分;术后肺不张、恶心呕吐及皮肤瘙痒的发生情况。结果 P组术后POD发生率明显低于C组(P0.05或P0.01);P组术中丙泊酚与瑞芬太尼用量明显少于C组(P0.01);术后不同时点两组静息时VAS评分差异无统计学意义,咳嗽时P组VAS评分明显低于C组(P0.05或P0.01);P组术后肺不张、恶心呕吐和瘙痒发生率明显低于C组(P0.05或P0.01)。结论全身麻醉联合连续胸椎旁阻滞用于老年患者开胸手术镇痛可以提供更充分的术中与术后镇痛,减少麻醉药物使用,降低POD的发生率。     

Bilateral thoracic paravertebral block: potential and practice

Paravertebral nerve blocks (PVBs) can provide excellent intraoperative anaesthetic and postoperative analgesic conditions with less adverse effects and fewer contraindications than central neural blocks. Most published data are related to unilateral PVB, but its potential as a bilateral technique has been demonstrated. Bilateral PVB has been used successfully in the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic regions, sometimes obviating the need for general anaesthesia. We have reviewed the use of bilateral PVB in association with surgery and chronic pain therapy. This covers 12 published studies with a total of 538 patients, and with varied methods and outcome measures. Despite the need for relatively large doses of local anaesthetics, there are no reports of systemic toxicity. The incidence of complications such as pneumothorax and hypotension is low. More studies on the use of bilateral PVB are required.     

超声引导椎旁神经阻滞在开胸手术中的应用

目的探讨超声引导下椎旁神经阻滞在开胸手术术中及术后的镇痛效果。方法择期行开胸手术的患者40例,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级,随机均分为全麻复合椎旁神经阻滞组(P组)和单纯全身麻醉组(G组)。P组患者于全麻诱导前在超声引导下于开胸侧切口所在肋间胸椎旁注射0.5%罗哌卡因12～15ml。所有患者术后均使用静脉自控镇痛泵。记录两组患者切皮前、插管后手术前、切皮后5min、手术结束前及术后2h的MAP、HR。记录术中芬太尼用量及术后2、6、12、24和48h安静及咳嗽时视觉模拟疼痛评分(VAS)、术后镇痛泵按压次数、镇痛满意度及相关并发症。结果 P组患者在超声引导下顺利完成椎旁神经阻滞,未见与穿刺引起的相关并发症。与G组比较,P组切皮后5min MAP明显降低、HR明显减慢(P<0.05);P组术后2、6、12时点的安静及咳嗽时VAS评分明显降低(P<0.05);P组芬太尼用量减少(P<0.05),镇痛泵按压次数明显减少(P<0.05),镇痛满意度较好(P<0.05)。结论超声引导下的椎旁神经阻滞定位准确,操作成功率高,用于胸科手术能有效镇痛,明显减少术中及术后静脉镇痛药的需要量。     

超声引导下连续胸椎旁神经阻滞对开胸术后肺功能的影响

目的观察超声引导下连续胸椎旁神经阻滞对开胸术后肺功能的影响。方法选择择期开胸手术患者60例,男29例,女31例,年龄18~60岁,BMI 16~28kg/m2,ASAⅠ或Ⅱ级,随机分为两组,每组30例。G组:单纯全身麻醉+术后自控静脉镇痛(PCIA);GP组:全麻复合连续胸椎旁神经阻滞(CTPVB)+术后CTPVB镇痛,诱导前患者清醒时行CTPVB,通过测定阻滞范围判断CTPVB效果。两组均于术毕缝皮时启动镇痛泵行自控镇痛。记录患者拔出气管导管30min(T1)、术后2h(T2)、6h(T3)、24h(T4)、48h(T5)静息和咳嗽时VAS评分。采用肺功能仪测定入室后(T0)、T4、T5时的用力肺活量(FVC)、1秒用力呼气容量(FEV1)、最大呼气中段流量(MMF),记录三次测量的最大值;用血气分析仪测定相应时段的血气分析各一次,抽取桡动脉血标本前停止吸氧30min,记录PaCO2、PaO2、肺泡动脉血氧分压差(PA-aO2)。观察术后不良反应发生情况。结果 T1~T5时GP组静息和咳嗽时VAS评分明显低于G组(P0.05)。与T0时比较,T4、T5时两组FVC、FEV1、MMF明显降低(P0.05),GP组明显高于G组(P0.05)。与T0时比较,T4、T5时两组PaO2明显降低(P0.05)、PA-aO2明显增大(P0.05);T4、T5时GP组的PaO2明显高于G组、PA-a O2明显小于G组(P0.05)。结论超声引导下CTPVB镇痛效果完善,可明显改善开胸术后肺功能,促进肺部氧合。     

Successful management of pleuritic pain with thoracic paravertebral block

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) is a unilateral analgesic technique that has been advocated in both acute and chronic thoracic and abdominal pain. Other blocks such as interpleural and epidural can be effectively used in pleuritic pain. This report illustrates that TPVB could also be effective for this kind of pain. METHODS: A 45-year-old man with acute pancreatitis was referred to the critical care unit 11 days after emergency admission with severe left pleural effusion and acute respiratory failure. His medical history revealed hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); in addition, he was a heavy drinker and smoker. A pleuritic pain that only slightly improved with nonopioid analgesics and opioids resulted in the patient's increasing inability to eliminate bronchial secretions. In an attempt to avoid endotracheal intubation, the pain unit recommended a continuous paravertebral block. The block was performed at T9 on the left side. An initial bolus of 15 mL bupivacaine 0.25% was administered and a continuous infusion, initially at 5 mL/h, was increased up to 10 mL/h to achieve the desired analgesic effect. RESULTS: After the block the verbal analogue scale decreased from 9 to 3, and this level of pain relief was maintained until the end of the treatment 48 hours after the block. The patient improved and was discharged to the ward without the need for endotracheal intubation. CONCLUSIONS: This case report supports the notion that, in practice, the paravertebral block could be an effective and safe alternative to relief of pleuritic pain.