Clinical Case Database / Category: Practical Procedure

Regional anaesthesia for shoulder surgery

Publication details

Dr D Hallsworth* FRCA, Dr A Kapila FRCA, Dr K Place FRCA
Foundation Years Journal, volume 6, issue 5, p.6 (123Doc Education, London, May 2012)

Abstract

Shoulder surgery is a common orthopaedic procedure performed on both an inpatient and day-case basis. Excellent analgesia is essential for early mobilisation and improved postoperative function. Regional anaesthesia is used to provide good operating conditions and long lasting pain relief. Patients need to be clearly counselled how to look after the 'blocked' arm and to expect common side effects. Analgesia planning for when the block wears off is paramount. Dangerous complications are rare, but should be actively looked for in patients with atypical symptoms or slow recovery. In this article, we review the interscalene brachial plexus block and discuss the approach to some common postoperative problems.

Access the Clinical Cases Database

A subscription is required to read the full article. Please subscribe using one of the options below.

Authors

Dr D Hallsworth* FRCA

Anaesthetics Registrar
Royal Berkshire Hospital
david.hallsworth@hotmail.com

Dr A Kapila FRCA

Consultant Anaesthetist
Royal Berkshire Hospital

Dr K Place FRCA

Anaesthetics Consultant
Royal Berkshire Hospital

References

1. Brull R. Neurological complications after regional anaesthesia: contemporary
estimates of risk. Anaesh Analg 2007, 104(4): 965-974
2. European Society of Regional Anaesthesia Handbook of Regional
Anaesthesia. 2007, www.esraeurope.org
3. Horlocker TT et al. Regional Anesthesia in the Patient Receiving
Antithrombotic or Thrombolytic Therapy. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2010: 64-101
4. Winnie AP. Interscalene brachial plexus block. Anesth Analg 1970, 49(3):
455-66

Disclaimers

Conflict Of Interest

The Journal requires that authors disclose any potential conflict of interest that they may have. This is clearly stated in the Journal’s published “Guidelines for Authors”. The Journal follows the Guidelines against Conflict of Interest published in the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (http://www.icmje.org/urm_full.pdf).

Financial Statement

The authors of this article have not been paid. The Journal is financed by subscriptions and advertising. The Journal does not receive money from any other sources. The decision to accept or refuse this article for publication was free from financial considerations and was solely the responsibility of the Editorial Panel and Editor-in-Chief.

Patient Consent statement

All pictures and investigations shown in this article are shown with the patients’ consent. We require Authors to maintain patients’ anonymity and to obtain consent to report investigations and pictures involving human subjects when anonymity may be compromised. The Journal follows the Guidelines of the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (http://www.icmje.org/urm_full.pdf). The Journal requires in its Guidelines for Authors a statement from Authors that “the subject gave informed consent”.

Animal & Human Rights

When reporting experiments on human subjects, the Journal requires authors to indicate whether the procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the HelsinkiDeclaration of 1975, as revised in 2008.

About the Clinical Cases Database

T​he Foundation Years Clinical Cases Database is​ a selection of 600 peer-reviewed clinical cases in the field of patient safety and clinical practice, specifically focused on the clinical information needs of junior doctors, based around the Foundation Year Curriculum programme (MMC). The cases have been chosen to align with the Foundation Year Curriculum.

The database is fully searchable, or can be browsed by medical specialty. Abstracts can be read free of charge, however a subscription is required in order to read the complete cases.