Korean J Anesthesiol.  1998 Nov;35(5):965-969. 10.4097/kjae.1998.35.5.965.

Continuous Axillary Brachial Plexus Block after Upper Extremity Operation

• Lee SW
• Rhyu JH

• KMID: 2240111
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1998.35.5.965

Abstract

Background: The continuous brachial plexus block brings about the prolongation of surgical anesthesia, postoperative pain relief, and sympathectomy.
Methods
The twenty-five patients scheduled for upper extremity operations had been taken the continuous axillary brachial plexus block procedure to relief postoperative pain and, to get the sympathetic block effect. We used local anesthetics less than maximum recommended dose, 0.125% bupivacaine continuously infused at 4 ml/hour via catheter. We adopted the faces pain rating scale to evaluate postoperative pain degree. The faces pain rating scale composed of six faces, based upon the degree of pain. The patients has been asked to choose these rating scale according to their painfulness three times a day for five days.
Results
Clinically, we have found the effective decrease in the degree of pain. Systemic toxic reactions, hematoma and infection sign at injected site were not found.
Conclusion
The pain of upper extremity after operation was controlled by continuous infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine, 4 ml/hr, usually.

Keyword

Anesthetic Techniques: regional; continuous brachial plexus block; Pain: postoperative

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthetics, Local
Brachial Plexus*
Bupivacaine
Catheters
Hematoma
Humans
Pain, Postoperative
Sympathectomy
Upper Extremity*
Anesthetics, Local
Bupivacaine