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Background: The preemptive visceral analgesic effect of regional nerve block has not been adequately investigated to date. We evaluated the preemptive visceral analgesic effect of thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in whom pre-incisional rectus sheath block (RSB) was used to minimize somatic surgical pain., Methods: In this prospective, randomized, assessor-blind study, 70 patients scheduled for elective LC were randomly assigned to the pre-TPVB (n = 35) or the post-TPVB (n = 35) group. Both groups received pre-incisional RSB, and patients in the pre-TPVB group received TPVB before skin incision while those in the post-TPVB group received TPVB after skin closure. The primary outcome was the total rescue analgesic consumption (morphine equianalgesic dose) during the 24 h post-surgery. The secondary outcomes were the cumulative analgesic consumption and pain intensity for 24 h after surgery, and adverse events., Results: Pre-TPVB significantly reduced total rescue analgesic consumption (estimated mean [95% CI]) during the 24 h after surgery than post-TPVB (16.9 [14.5, 19.3] vs. 25.3 [22.8, 27.7] mg, estimated difference: -8.3 [-11.8, -4.9], P < 0.001). The cumulative rescue analgesic consumption was significantly lower in the pre-TPVB group from 2-24 h after surgery (P < 0.001). The postoperative pain intensity was significantly lower in the pre-TPVB group as well at 0.5-6 h after surgery. There were no adverse events in both groups., Conclusions: Pre-incisional TPVB conferred a significant preemptive visceral analgesic effect in patients undergoing LC, and significantly reduced the amount of postoperative opioid consumption.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the optimal lower limb position for an ultrasound (US)-guided anterior approach to a sciatic nerve block., Methods: We included 45 patients who met the following criteria: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of 1 to 3, age between 18 and 80 years, and scheduled to undergo knee surgery that required a sciatic nerve block. The lower limbs of each patient were placed in the following 4 positions: N, neutral; ER, external rotation of the hip (angle, 45°); ER/F15, ER (angle, 45°) and flexion (angle, 15°) of the hip; and ER/F45, ER (angle, 45°) and F (angle, 45°) of the hip. An investigator acquired US scans of the sciatic nerve in each position, and the visibility score and depth of the sciatic nerve from the skin were analyzed., Results: The visibility scores were significantly higher in positions ER/F15 and ER/F45 than in positions ER and N (P < .0001). However, there was no difference between the visibility scores in positions ER/F15 and ER/F45 (P = .0959). The depth of the sciatic nerve from the skin decreased with ER and an increase in the F angle of the hip (overall P < .0001)., Conclusions: Based on the visibility score and depth from the skin, ER of the hip to 45° with a greater F angle (45° versus 15°) of the hip appears to be the optimal position for an US-guided anterior approach to a sciatic nerve block., (© 2020 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

The aims of this study were to investigate the current clinical practice of ultrasound (US)-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB) using a bi-national survey of Korea and Japan, and to clarify the anatomical relation of the cervical sympathetic trunk with the prevertebral fascia at the level of cervical vertebrae. The current clinical practice of US-guided SGB in Korea and Japan was investigated using an Internet survey, which received 206 (10.2%) replies from Korea and 97 (8.8%) replies from Japan. The survey questionnaire addressed the actual clinical practice for US-guided SGB, including where the tip of the injection needle is placed. Additionally, 16 half necks of 8 embalmed cadavers were used in an anatomical study. An in-plane needle approach technique and administering 5 ml of local anesthetic were preferred in both countries. However, the type of local anesthetic differed, being lidocaine in Korea and mepivacaine in Japan. The final position of the needle tip also clearly differed in an US image, being predominantly positioned above the prevertebral fascia in Korea (39.3%) and under the prevertebral fascia in Japan (59.8%). In all of the anatomic dissections, the cervical sympathetic trunk was over the prevertebral fascia at the level of the sixth vertebra and under the prevertebral fascia at the level of the seventh vertebra. These results are expected to improve the knowledge on the current clinical practice and to suggest future studies., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The recently introduced pectoral nerve (Pecs) block is a simple alterative to the conventional thoracic paravertebral block or epidural block for breast surgery. It produces excellent analgesia and can be used to provide balanced anesthesia and as a rescue block in cases where performing a neuraxial blockade is not possible. In the thoracic region, a neuraxial blockade is often used to manage zoster-associated pain. However, this can be challenging for physicians due to the increased risk of hemodynamic instability in the upper thoracic level, and comorbid and contraindicated medical conditions such as coagulopathy. Here, we introduce an ultrasound-guided Pecs block for the management of herpes zoster-associated pain, which could be an effective alternative to other interventional options in the thoracic region.

Background and Objectives: Reducing opioid exposure in common pediatric surgeries is of paramount importance. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of regional nerve blocks in reducing opioid exposure while preserving high success rates. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study (1:1) including patients with elbow fractures < 12 years old who underwent treatment with percutaneous pinning. Patients were divided into general-anesthesia (GA) and GA-followed-by-supraclavicular-brachial-plexus-block (GA-SCB) groups. The primary outcome was the number of patients administered postoperative rescue opioids. The secondary outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative opioid administration, the time to first request for rescue analgesia, pain scores, block success rate, block performing time, and block-related complications. Results: In a total of 478 patients, 363 underwent percutaneous pinning, and 86 were cohort-matched (GA: n = 43, GA-SCB: n = 43). On the first postoperative day, 34 (79.0%) patients in the GA group were administered postoperative rescue opioids, compared with 12 (27.9%) in the GA-SCB group (p < 0.001). All the patients in the GA-SCB group were opioid-free during the intraoperative period. No SCB-associated complications were observed. Total opioid consumption was significantly lower in the GA-SCB group than in the GA group until the first postoperative day (GA vs. GA-SCB, 3.2 ± 3.0 mg vs. 0.9 ± 1.8 mg, p < 0.001). Conclusions: SCB application in pediatric patients who underwent elbow fracture surgery significantly reduced opioid exposure and had a high success rate when performed using ultrasound guidance by an expert. Furthermore, the complication risk and surgical delay were minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis (TSA) aimed to compare perioperative outcomes of peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) and spinal anesthesia (SA) in elective foot and ankle surgery. Methods: The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021229597). Researchers independently searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Results: Analysis of nine RCTs (n = 802; 399 PNBs, 403 SA) revealed significantly shorter block performance times (WMD: 7.470; 95% CI 6.072 to 8.868), the onset of sensory (WMD: 7.483; 95% CI 2.837 to 12.130) and motor blocks (WMD: 9.071; 95% CI 4.049 to 14.094), durations of sensory (WMD: 458.53; 95% CI 328.296 to 588.765) and motor blocks (WMD: 247.416; 95% CI 95.625 to 399.208), and significantly higher postoperative analgesic requirements (SMD: −1.091; 95% CI −1.634 to −0.549) in the SA group. Additionally, systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 30 min (WMD: 13.950; 95% CI 4.603 to 23.298) was lower in the SA group. Conclusions: The SA demonstrated shorter block performance time, faster onset and shorter duration of sensory and motor blocks, higher postoperative analgesic requirements, and lower SBP at 30 min compared to PNBs in elective foot and ankle surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative delirium is common in elderly patients with hip fracture. Pain is a major risk factor for delirium, and regional nerve blocks (RNBs) effectively control pain in hip fractures. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of RNB on delirium after hip surgery in elderly patients. This retrospective comparative study was performed in a single institution, and the data were collected from medical records between March 2018 and April 2021. Patients aged ≥60 years who underwent proximal femoral fracture surgery were included, while those with previous psychiatric illness and cognitive impairment were excluded. Two hundred and fifty-two patients were enrolled and divided into an RNB or a control group according to RNB use. Delirium was assessed as the primary outcome and postoperative pain score, pain medication consumption, and rehabilitation assessment as the secondary outcomes. Between the RNB (n = 129) and control groups (n = 123), there was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics. The overall incidence of delirium was 21%; the rate was lower in the RNB group than in the control group (15 vs. 27%, respectively, p = 0.027). The average pain score at 6 h postoperatively was lower in the RNB group than in the control group (2.8 ± 1.5 vs. 3.3 ± 1.6, respectively, p = 0.030). There was no significant difference in the pain score at 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively, amount of opioids consumed for 2 postoperative days, and time from injury to wheelchair ambulation. We recommend RNB as a standard procedure for elderly patients with hip fracture due to lower delirium incidence and more effective analgesia in the early postoperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical facet joint (CFJ) syndrome is a common cause of neck pain. For its diagnosis and treatment, CFJ injection with arthrogram is generally performed. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of extra-CFJ flow on CFJ arthrograms during injections and its differences according to age, sex, and cervical vertebral level. We analyzed 760 CFJ arthrograms administrated to 208 patients diagnosed with CFJ syndrome. Arthrograms at each vertebral level were collected to evaluate the normal CFJ and extra-CFJ flow. The primary and secondary outcomes were frequency of extra-CFJ flow according to cervical vertebral level, age, and sex and according to pairwise cervical levels, respectively. Extra-CFJ flow at the cervical spine occurred during 179 injections, and the overall incidence was 3.3–36.2% at different cervical levels. The incidence of extra-CFJ flow at each cervical vertebral level according to age and sex was not significant. Extra-CFJ flow was the highest at C6 and C7, but there was no statistical significance. Extra-CFJ flow was higher at lower vertebral levels (C5–C7) than at upper levels (C3 and C4). Additional clinical studies and anatomical evaluations are needed to support its clinical value and enable the development of new injection techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]