The Use of Intravenous Lidocaine as an Analgesic Modality in the Austere Environment: Two Cases.

Providing effective analgesia for trauma in austere settings is particularly difficult and often complicated by equipment and medication limitations and harsh environmental conditions. Common modalities that are employed in conventional clinical practices may not be available or pragmatic in austere environments. Furthermore, side effects such as sedation, altered mentation, or hypoxemia require additional resources and attention. We report 2 cases that demonstrate the use of intravenous lidocaine for the management of acute pain, secondary to trauma, in an austere environment. In the first, the administration of intravenous lidocaine reduced pain, secondary to a tibia fracture, thereby facilitating splinting. In the second, a patient, who had sustained rib fractures, was also treated with intravenous lidocaine. In this case, the analgesic effects of the medication resulted in reduction in pain and improvement in pulmonary function. Of note, the narrow therapeutic window of this modality was made evident as both patients transiently experienced tinnitus following the initial lidocaine bolus. This report describes 2 cases in which intravenous lidocaine was used to manage acute pain, in an austere environment, while avoiding many of the detrimental effects that accompany alternative analgesics.

Application of the Joint Trauma System Clinical Practice Guideline for Pain, Anxiety, and Delirium in a Combat Support Hospital in Iraq.

INTRODUCTION: The 2017 Joint Trauma System Clinical Practice Guideline for Pain, Anxiety, and Delirium (JTS CPG) provides an evidence-based framework for managing pain, anxiety, and delirium in combat settings. In this study, we evaluate the use of multimodal analgesia and assess pain outcomes, as indicated by the JTS CPG, at the combat support hospital (CSH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this quality improvement project, data were collected for all patients, presenting to the CSH in Baghdad, Iraq, who received consultation from the acute pain service from October 10, 2017 to February 27, 2018. Univariate analyses described patient demographic and clinical characteristics. Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) scores, physical therapy completion, and sleep duration were recorded for each patient daily. Correlations assessed relationships between variables, including clinical characteristics and DVPRS scores. RESULTS: 34 patients were included in this study. About 65% of the patients included in this study were Iraqi military, while the other 35% were U.S. or Coalition Forces. Over half received more than one class of analgesic medication. The majority of patients received regional anesthesia, with 17 different techniques utilized. The DVPRS had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.87, 95% CI 0.80, 0.95). There was a significant difference in median DVPRS pain intensity scores between those who met physical therapy goals and those who did not. Sleep duration was negatively correlated with both the DVPRS pain intensity and sleep scores. CONCLUSIONS: This report indicates that acute pain service teams integrated in a CSH can feasibly implement JTS CPGs using a team-based approach. Given the military's emphasis on managing complex pain and disability among survivors beginning in the combat environment, it is imperative that innovations and best practices, like the JTS CPG, be assessed in the combat setting.

Regional Anesthesia in the Combat Setting: Are ACGME Requirements Enough?

INTRODUCTION: Updated Joint Trauma System Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) indicate regional anesthesia and pain management (RAAPM) are important for combat casualty care. However, it is unclear whether military anesthesiology residents are receiving adequate RAAPM training to meet the CPGs. The goal of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of resident-completed combat-relevant regional anesthesia procedures. It was hypothesized that most residents would perform an adequate number of each procedure to presume proficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Resident-performed, combat-relevant regional anesthesia procedure frequency was extracted from a database maintained at a military anesthesiology residency program. Data collection was limited to a 1-year period. Univariate statistics described procedure distributions, frequencies, and proportion of residents achieving pre-defined, empirically-supported experience criteria for each technique. Analyses examined proportional differences in meeting experience criteria by training-year. RESULTS: Residents (N = 41) performed a variety of procedures. Simple procedures, such as saphenous peripheral nerve blocks, were performed at a greater frequency than more complicated procedures such as thoracic epidurals, continuous peripheral nerve blocks, and transverse abdominus plane blocks. The majority of residents met experience criteria for four out of the eight measured combat-relevant blocks. There were no proportional differences in meeting procedural experience criteria across the different training levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a possible gap between the needs of the Military Health System during conflict and current residency training experiences. Reasons for this gap, as well as solutions, are explored.

LAST Double Check - A Comprehensive Pre-Regional Checklist for the Busy Institution.

INTRODUCTION: Wrong site peripheral nerve blocks are included in the National Quality Forum and Joint Commission's category of "never event." Multiple attempts have been made by various groups in an effort to eliminate these events. Prior attempts to eliminate these never events include the Regional Block Preprocedural Checklist provided by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) taskforce. Following a series of errors involving anticoagulation prior to regional anesthesia, our department saw a need for a more comprehensive checklist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An expert panel developed the LAST Double Check Checklist with the aim of identifying and eliminating errors associated with regional anesthesia delivery. This checklist was implemented over the course of two 30 d trial periods. Feedback was collected and any delays associated with implementation were recorded. RESULTS: There were no reported procedures performed on patients taking anticoagulation or reported case delays during the two 30 d trials. A total of 350 regional anesthetics were performed during both trials. During the first week of implementation, a patient was identified as having received enoxaparin, despite the electronic medical record showing the medication as held. The planned regional anesthetic was not performed given increased risk of bleeding. Feedback collected during the trial periods was incorporated into the final draft and implementation of the LAST Double Check for use in all locations where regional anesthesia is performed. There have been no post-implementation events reported (11-mo period, greater than 1,000 regional anesthetics performed). CONCLUSION: The LAST Double Check is a more comprehensive checklist with the aim of preventing errors associated with wrong site blocks, anticoagulation administration, and care team coordination. This checklist covers areas of the patient history that are routinely reviewed prior to regional anesthesia administration and did not contribute to delay in arrival to the operating room.

Regional to the Rescue! Axillary Brachial Plexus Nerve Block Facilitates Removal of Entrapped Transradial Catheter Placed for Cardiac Catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe the first reported use of an axillary brachial plexus block to treat the entrapment of a transradial artery catheter due to vasospasm. CASE REPORT: A 42-year-old man undergoing transradial arterial cardiac catheterization suffered arterial vasospasm causing the catheter to become entrapped and refractory to conservative (warm compresses) and standard pharmacologic interventions (intracatheter verapamil, intravenous infusions of nitroglycerin and nicardipine, and subcutaneous lidocaine and topical nitroglycerin). Anesthesia was consulted, and attempts at catheter removal under monitored anesthesia and general anesthesia failed. Finally, in order to avoid surgical intervention, an ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block with mepivacaine was performed, resulting in easy removal of the catheter. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary brachial plexus nerve blocks are an effective, efficient, and safe intervention with a wide range of indications. This case report demonstrates that an axillary nerve block can be used to treat the entrapment of a transradial artery catheter due to vasospasm.