Korean J Anesthesiol.  2004 Jul;47(1):92-95. 10.4097/kjae.2004.47.1.92.

The Analgesic Effect of Continuous Suprascapular Nerve Block after Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

• Kim CS
• Lim KJ
• Chung CD
• Lee EY

• KMID: 2237564
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2004.47.1.92

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is often associated with severe postoperative pain. It is important to control pain in this setting, not only to improve the patient's well-being but also to facilitate rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a continuous suprascapular nerve block for pain relief after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
METHODS
Forty patients (20 in each group) scheduled for elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery received a suprascapular nerve block and a catheter was introduced before surgery. The patients were received standardized general anesthesia. After surgery, a single bolus of normal saline (Group I) or 0.2% ropivacaine (Group II) 6 ml was injected through a catheter in each group. All patients received either a continuous infusion of normal saline (Group I) or a continuous infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine (Group II) through the catheter at a rate of 3 ml/hr plus a bolus of 3 ml with a lock out time of 30 min. Pain relief was assessed at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours using visual analog scale (VAS) and verbal pain scores (VPS).
RESULTS
VAS and VPS were lower in the ropivacaine group (Group II) than in the normal saline group (Group I). There were no complication in either group.
CONCLUSIONS
Continuous suprascapular nerve block using 0.2% ropivacaine is a safe and efficacious treatment for postoperative shoulder pain.

Keyword

arthroscopic shoulder surgery; postoperative shoulder pain; ropivacaine; suprascapular nerve block

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia, General
Catheters
Humans
Nerve Block*
Pain, Postoperative
Rehabilitation
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder*
Visual Analog Scale