Background. The role and significance of the technical aspects of interscalene brachial plexus block in the occurrence of sudden arterial hypotension and bradycardia events during shoulder arthroscopy in a semi-sitting position are ambiguous.
Aim. The study aimed to assess the effect of interscalene brachial plexus block on the incidence of hypotension-bradycardia events during shoulder arthroscopic surgery in adolescents in a semi-sitting position.
Materials and methods. This retrospective analysis of anesthesia protocols included 288 patients who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery in a semi-sitting position under the interscalene brachial plexus block. Regional blockades were performed with neurostimulation in Group 1 (n = 23), neurostimulation and ultrasound navigation without repositioning the needle in Group 2 (n = 70), and neurostimulation and ultrasound navigation with multiple precision repositioning the needle in Group 3 (n = 195).
Results. Hypotension-bradycardia events were detected in 26 patients out of 288 (9%). There was a statistically significant difference in the frequency of hypotension-bradycardia in all groups: 10 (43.48%) in Group 1, 15 (21.43%) in Group 2, and 1 (0.51%) in Group 3 (p = 0.000). A direct correlation between hypotension-bradycardia episodes and local anesthetic volume (r = 0.405; p 0.05), and Horners syndrome (r = 0.684, p 0.05) was found.
Conclusions. Interscalene brachial plexus block with a target delivery of low volume of local anesthetic and dual navigation reduces the risk of hypotension-bradycardia. Horners syndrome can be considered an early predictor of hypotension-bradycardia events.
The effect of sequential compression device on hypotension in the sitting position during shoulder arthroscopy; a comparison with elastic stocking