Korean J Anesthesiol.  2016 Aug;69(4):362-367. 10.4097/kjae.2016.69.4.362.

Preoperative interscalene brachial plexus block aids in perioperative temperature management during arthroscopic shoulder surgery

• Lim SH
• Lee W
• Park J
• Kim MH
• Cho K
• Lee JH
• Cheong SH
• Lee KM

• KMID: 2344602
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2016.69.4.362

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Hypothermia is common during arthroscopic shoulder surgery under general anesthesia, and anesthetic-impaired thermoregulation is thought to be the major cause of hypothermia. This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was designed to compare perioperative temperature during arthroscopic shoulder surgery with interscalene brachial plexus block (IBPB) followed by general anesthesia vs. general anesthesia alone.
METHODS
Patients scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery were randomly allocated to receive IBPB followed by general anesthesia (group GB, n = 20) or general anesthesia alone (group GO, n = 20), and intraoperative and postoperative body temperatures were measured.
RESULTS
The initial body temperatures were 36.5 ± 0.3℃ vs. 36.4 ± 0.4℃ in group GB vs. GO, respectively (P = 0.215). The body temperature at 120 minutes after induction of anesthesia was significantly higher in group GB than in group GO (35.8 ± 0.3℃ vs. 34.9 ± 0.3℃; P < 0.001). The body temperatures at 60 minutes after admission to the post-anesthesia care unit were 35.8 ± 0.3℃ vs. 35.2 ± 0.2℃ in group GB vs. GO, respectively (P < 0.001). The concentrations of desflurane at 0, 15, and 120 minutes after induction of anesthesia were 6.0 vs. 6.0% (P = 0.330), 5.0 ± 0.8% vs. 5.8 ± 0.4% (P = 0.001), and 3.4 ± 0.4% vs. 7.1 ± 0.9% (P < 0.001) in group GB vs. GO, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrated that preoperative IBPB could reduce both the intraoperative concentration of desflurane and the reduction in body temperature during and after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Keyword

Arthroscopy; Brachial plexus block; General anesthesia; Shoulder; Temperature

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Arthroscopy
Body Temperature
Body Temperature Regulation
Brachial Plexus Block*
Brachial Plexus*
Double-Blind Method
Humans
Hypothermia
Prospective Studies
Shoulder*