Pain management in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion: combined intrathecal morphine and continuous epidural versus PCA.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case-comparison study. OBJECTIVE: Compare efficacy and safety of combined intrathecal morphine (ITM) and epidural analgesia (EPI) to that of conventional intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) after posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pain control after PSF in AIS has been managed traditionally with IV-PCA. More recently studies have shown improvement in pain control with the use of continuous EPI or intraoperative ITM. No studies to our knowledge have compared the use of both ITM and EPI analgesia to that of IV-PCA. METHODS: An Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective case-comparison study was performed from 1989 to 2009 of all patients undergoing PSF for AIS. Patients received either IV-PCA or ITM/EPI. Daily pain scores were recorded along with total opioid and benzodiazepine use. Adverse events were recorded for all the patients. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients were initially included in the study; 95 patients received ITM/EPI and 51 received IV-PCA as a historical control. Eight patients from the ITM/EPI group were excluded from the pain comparison portion of the study. There were no statistical differences in age, sex, weight, or hospital stay between the 2 groups. The ITM/EPI group had, on average, 1 additional level of fusion (P = 0.001). Daily average pain scores were lower in the ITM/EPI group on all hospital days, and statistically lower in days 1 and 3 to 5. Total opioid requirement was significantly lower in the ITM/EPI patients, although oral opioid use was higher among this group. Total benzodiazepine use was lower among the IV-PCA group. A total of 15.7% of the IV-PCA patients had bladder hypotonia, compared with 1.1% of the ITM/EPI group (P = 0.002). The rate of illeus was 15.7% in the IV-PCA patients and 5.7% in the ITM/EPI (P = 0.071). Respiratory depression was reported in 4 ITM/EPI patients, 0 in our PCA group. Technical catheter malfunction was reported in 8.5% of the EPI group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ITM/EPI after PSF for AIS is safe and effective, this methodology provided significantly lower pain scores and lowers total opioid use which can lead to urinary and bowel dysfunction.

The perioperative effect of increased body mass index on peripheral nerve blockade: an analysis of 528 ultrasound guided interscalene blocks.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obese patients can pose a unique perioperative anesthetic challenge, making regional anesthetic techniques an intriguing means of providing analgesia for this population. Ultrasound guidance has been touted recently as being beneficial for this population in which surface landmarks can become obscured. In this study, the effect of increased Body Mass Index (BMI) on ultrasound guided interscalene peripheral nerve blockade is investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of 528 consecutive patients who received preoperative ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve blocks at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. We examined the association between BMI and the following parameters: time required for block placement; presence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV); postoperative Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) pain scores; volume of local anesthetic injected; acute complications; and opioid administration preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate least squares and logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: An elevated BMI was associated with an increased: time required for block placement (p-value=0.025), intraoperative fentanyl administration (p-value<0.001), peak PACU pain scores (p-value<0.001), PACU opioid administration (p-value<0.001), PACU oral opioid administration (p-value<0.001), total PACU opioid administration (p-value<0.001) and incidence of PACU nausea (p-value=0.025) CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound guided interscalene nerve blocks for perioperative analgesia can be safely and effectively performed in the obese patient but they may be more difficult to perform and analgesia may not be as complete.

Severe lingual tonsillar hypertrophy and the rationale supporting early use of wire-guided retrograde intubation.

An expanding body of literature exists which describes the airway challenges and management options for lingual tonsillar hypertrophy (LTH). The use of retrograde intubation to secure a patient's airway in the setting of LTH has been previously unreported and should be considered early in the event of a cannot intubate, cannot ventilate scenario. A 55-year-old man, who had previously been described as an easy intubation, presented an unexpected cannot intubate, cannot ventilate scenario secondary to LTH. Various noninvasive airway maneuvers were attempted to restore ventilation without success. We describe the advantages of early use of wire-guided retrograde intubation as an alternative to a surgical airway for obtaining a secure airway in a patient with LTH, in whom noninvasive airway management maneuvers have failed. Multiple different noninvasive approaches to management of LTH have been previously described including the laryngeal tube, laryngeal mask airway, and fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Unfortunately, none of these noninvasive airway maneuvers successfully ventilated this patient and an invasive airway became necessary. Retrograde intubation is a less invasive alternative to the surgical airway with potentially less risk for complications. Retrograde intubation may be particularly effective in the setting of LTH as it may stent open an otherwise occluded airway and allow passage of an endotracheal tube. Skillful use of this technique should be considered early as a viable option in any case of unexpected difficult intubation due to LTH.

Efeito perioperatório do índice de massa corporal elevado no bloqueio do nervo periférico: uma análise de 528 bloqueios interescalênicos guiados por ultrassom / The perioperative effect of increased body mass index on peripheral nerve blockade: an analysis of 528 ultrasound guided interscalene blocks

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Os pacientes obesos podem representar um desafio anestésico perioperatório único, tornando as técnicas anestésicas regionais um meio desafiador de oferecer analgesia para esta população. A orientação por ultrassom foi recentemente elogiada como sendo benéfica para esta população na qual os limites anatômicos de superfície podem ser obscurecidos. Neste estudo, é investigado o efeito do Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) elevado no bloqueio interescalênico do nervo periférico guiado por ultrassom. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Este estudo é uma análise retrospectiva de 528 pacientes consecutivos que receberam bloqueios nervosos interescalênicos pré-operatórios guiados por ultrassom no Hospital e Clínica da University of Wisconsin. Examinamos a associação entre IMC e os parâmetros: tempo exigido para localização do bloqueio; presença de náuseas e vômitos pós-operatórios (NVPO); pontuações de dor pós-operatória na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA); volume de anestésico local injetado; complicações agudas; e administração de opioides antes, durante e depois da cirurgia. Foram utilizadas regressões univariada e multivariada com estimativa dos mínimos quadrados e logística. RESULTADOS: Um IMC elevado foi associado a maiores: tempo exigido para localização do bloqueio (p = 0,025), administração de fentanil durante a cirurgia (p < 0,001), pico de pontuações de dor em SRPA (p < 0,001), administração de opioide na SRPA (p < 0,001), administração oral de opioide na SRPA (p < 0,001), administração total de opioide na SRPA (p < 0,001) e incidência de náusea em SRPA (p = 0,025). CONCLUSÕES: Os bloqueios nervosos interescalênicos guiados por ultrassom para analgesia perioperatória podem ser executados de forma segura e efetiva em pacientes obesos, mas o procedimento pode ser mais difícil e a analgesia talvez não seja completa.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Obese patients can pose a unique perioperative anesthetic challenge, making regional anesthetic techniques an intriguing means of providing analgesia for this population. Ultrasound guidance has been touted recently as being beneficial for this population in which surface landmarks can become obscured. In this study, the effect of increased Body Mass Index (BMI) on ultrasound guided interscalene peripheral nerve blockade is investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of 528 consecutive patients who received preoperative ultrasound-guided interscalene nerve blocks at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. We examined the association between BMI and the following parameters: time required for block placement; presence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV); postoperative Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) pain scores; volume of local anesthetic injected; acute complications; and opioid administration preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate least squares and logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: An elevated BMI was associated with an increased: time required for block placement (p-value = 0.025), intraoperative fentanyl administration (p-value < 0.001), peak PACU pain scores (p-value < 0.001), PACU opioid administration (p-value < 0.001), PACU oral opioid administration (p-value < 0.001), total PACU opioid administration (p-value < 0.001) and incidence of PACU nausea (p-value = 0.025) CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound guided interscalene nerve blocks for perioperative analgesia can be safely and effectively performed in the obese patient but they may be more difficult to perform and analgesia may not be as complete.

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Los pacientes obesos pueden representar un reto anestésico perioperatorio único, haciendo con que las técnicas anestésicas regionales sean un medio extraño a la hora de ofrecer la analgesia para esa población. La orientación por ultrasonido fue recientemente elogiada como una beneficiosa técnica para esos pacientes, en que los límites de superficie pueden quedar oscuros. En este estudio, se investiga el efecto del Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC), elevado, en el bloqueo interescalénico del nervio periférico guiado por ultrasonido. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Este estudio es un análisis retrospectivo de 528 pacientes consecutivos, que recibieron bloqueos nerviosos interescalénicos preoperatorios, guiados por ultrasonido, en el Hospital y en la Clínica de la University of Wisconsin. Examinamos la asociación entre el IMC y los siguientes parámetros: tiempo exigido para la localización del bloqueo; presencia de náuseas y vómitos postoperatorios (NVPO); puntuaciones de dolor postoperatoria en la sala de recuperación postanestésica (SRPA); volumen del anestésico local inyectado; complicaciones agudas; y administración de opioides antes, durante y después de la cirugía. Se usaron los mínimos cuadrados de solamente una variable y muchas variables y modelos de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: Un IMC elevado se asoció a un mayor tiempo exigido para la localización del bloqueo (p = 0,025), administración de fentanil durante la cirugía (p < 0,001), pico de puntuaciones de dolor SRPA (p < 0,001), administración de opioide SRPA (p < 0,001), administración oral de opioide SRPA (p < 0,001), administración total de opioide SRPA (p < 0,001) y aparecimiento de nauseas SRPA (p = 0,025). CONCLUSIONES: Los bloqueos nerviosos interescalénicos guiados por ultrasonido para la analgesia perioperatoria, pueden ser ejecutados de forma segura y efectiva en pacientes obesos, pero el procedimiento puede ser más difícil y la analgesia tal vez no sea la más completa.