Is lumbar erector spinae plane block (L-ESPB) a lumbar plexus block?: a case report of three cases

Background Lumbar erector spinae plane block (L-ESPB) is being used in fractured hip patients for the postoperative pain relief and as a sole anesthetic technique. Various clinical and cadaveric studies have differences of opinion about its mechanism of action and pathways of local anesthetic spread; however, the role of lumbar plexus (LP) in the mechanism of action is still not considered. In our clinical experience, we observed that the action on LP could be a pathway for the analgesic action of local anesthetic along with paravertebral spread. Case presentation We report here three cases of the fractured hip who were given L-ESPB for postoperative pain management. The radiological examination was done after injection of non-ionic contrast to know the spread of local anesthetic. In two cases, the contrast spread was seen towards LP and in one case spread of contrast was observed towards the paravertebral area. Conclusions Effect of local anesthetic on the lumbar plexus is one of the plausible pathways in L-ESPB for its analgesic mechanism of action.

Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Plexus Block Reduces Emergence Agitation in Children Undergoing Hip Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Emergence agitation (EA) is a common and challenging postoperative problem in children emerging from general anesthesia. It is associated with self-injury, increases stress on healthcare team members and postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes. However, no completely effective prevention has been found for EA. Pain is considered to be an important contributor to EA. Ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block is a safe and effective anesthetic technique that can provide satisfactory pain relief in pediatric hip surgery. We aim to investigate the effect of ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block on emergence agitation in children undergoing hip surgery. Methods This prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted in children aged 1-6 yr undergoing elective hip surgery. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block combined with general anesthesia (Group Block, n=60) or routine general anesthesia (Group Control, n=60). The primary outcome was the incidence of EA at 30 min after emergence from general anesthesia, assessed using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale. The secondary outcomes included the incidence of severe EA, postoperative pain evaluated by the Children’s Hospital of eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and the incidence of postoperative adverse complications. PAED, CHEOPS were measured at 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min after emergence from anesthesia. Results The incidence of EA was significantly lower in Group Block than in Group Control [13.3% vs. 43.3%, odds ratio (OR) 0.201, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.082to 0.496, p<0.001]. Group Block had a lower incidence of severe EA than Group Control [3.3% vs. 18.3%, odds ratio (OR) 0.154, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.032 to 0.727, p=0.019]. CHEOPS was lower in Group Block than in Group Control [mean (95%CI), 4.5(4.4-4.6) vs.4.9 (4.8-5.0), p<0.001]. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block could decrease the incidence and severity of emergence agitation in children undergoing hip surgery effectively. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-INR-17011525 (30/05/2017)

Assessing Lumbar Plexus and Sciatic Nerve Damage in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Using Magnetisation Transfer Ratio

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) has traditionally been regarded as a disease confined to the central nervous system (CNS). However, neuropathological, electrophysiological, and imaging studies have demonstrated that the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is also involved, with demyelination and, to a lesser extent, axonal degeneration representing the main pathophysiological mechanisms.Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess PNS damage at the lumbar plexus and sciatic nerve anatomical locations in people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and healthy controls (HCs) in vivo using magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR), which is a known imaging biomarker sensitive to alterations in myelin content in neural tissue, and not previously explored in the context of PNS damage in MS.Method: Eleven HCs (7 female, mean age 33.6 years, range 24-50) and 15 people with RRMS (12 female, mean age 38.5 years, range 30-56) were recruited for this study and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) investigations together with clinical assessments using the expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) was first used for visualisation and identification of the lumbar plexus and the sciatic nerve and MTR imaging was subsequently performed using identical scan geometry to MRN, enabling straightforward co-registration of all data to obtain global and regional mean MTR measurements. Linear regression models were used to identify differences in MTR values between HCs and people with RRMS and to identify an association between MTR measures and EDSS.Results: MTR values in the sciatic nerve of people with RRMS were found to be significantly lower compared to HCs, but no significant MTR changes were identified in the lumbar plexus of people with RRMS. The median EDSS in people with RRMS was 2.0 (range, 0-3). No relationship between the MTR measures in the PNS and EDSS were identified at any of the anatomical locations studied in this cohort of people with RRMS.Conclusion: The results from this study demonstrate the presence of PNS damage in people with RRMS and support the notion that these changes, suggestive of demyelination, maybe occurring independently at different anatomical locations within the PNS. Further investigations to confirm these findings and to clarify the pathophysiological basis of these alterations are warranted.

Continuous Lumbar Plexus Block under the Guidance of the “Shamrock Method” Ultrasound: Analgesic Effects and Hemodynamic Effects after Total Knee Arthroplasty in Elderly Patients

Objective. To explore the effect of continuous lumbar plexus block guided by the “Shamrock method” on postoperative analgesia and hemodynamics in elderly patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods. From January 2020 to December 2020 in our hospital, 98 patients who underwent TKA were selected. Using the random number table method, the patients were divided into two groups: a continuous lumbar plexus block group (group L), with 49 patients, and a continuous femoral nerve block group (group F), with 49 patients. The onset time and maintenance time of motor and sensory nerve blocks in patients were recorded. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was applied to assess the pain severity at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after the operation. The VAS score (FVAS) was applied to evaluate the pain severity of the patients during 24 and 48 h after the operation and knee joint functional exercise. The levels of hemodynamic indexes such as heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and oxyhemoglobin saturation and the levels of hemorheological indexes such as plasma viscosity, high and low whole blood shear viscosity, fibrinogen, and hematocrit were detected and compared between the two groups immediately after the operation and at 12 h and 48 h after the operation, respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions induced by anesthesia was counted. Results. The onset time of motor and sensory nerve blocks in group L was lower than that in group F, and the maintenance time was higher than that in group F ( P < 0.05 ). The VAS scores of 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after operation in group L were significantly lower than those in group F ( P < 0.05 ). The FVAS scores of group L at 24 and 48 h after operation were significantly lower than those of group F ( P < 0.05 ). The heart rates of the patients in the two groups were higher at 12 h and 48 h after operation than those immediately after operation ( P < 0.05 ). The heart rates at 12 h and 48 h after operation in group L were lower than those in group F ( P < 0.05 ). The plasma viscosity, high whole blood shear viscosity, and low whole blood shear viscosity in the group L at 12 h and 48 h after operation were lower than those in group F ( P < 0.05 ). There was no significant difference in the incidence of local anesthetic poisoning, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, pruritus, and other adverse reactions between the two groups ( P > 0.05 ). Conclusion. The “Shamrock method” ultrasound-guided continuous lumbar plexus block in elderly patients after TKA has good analgesic effect, stable hemodynamics, little influence on hemorheology, and good safety. It is of great value to enhance the surgical effect and promote postoperative rehabilitation.

Location of the Femoral Nerve in the Lateral Decubitus Versus Prone Position

Study Design Cadaveric study. Objective To compare the position of the femoral nerve within the lumbar plexus at the L4-L5 disc space in the lateral decubitus vs prone position. Methods Seven lumbar plexus specimens were dissected and the femoral nerve within the psoas muscle was identified and marked with radiopaque paint. Lateral fluoroscopic images of the cadaveric specimens in the lateral decubitus vs prone position were obtained. The location of the radiopaque femoral nerve at the L4-L5 disc space was normalized as a percentage of the L5 vertebral body (0% indicates posterior location and 100% indicates anterior location at the L4-L5 disc space). The location of the femoral nerve at L4-L5 in the lateral decubitus vs prone position was compared using a paired t test. Results In the lateral decubitus position, the femoral nerve was located 28% anteriorly from the posterior edge of the L4-L5 disc space, and in the prone position, the femoral nerve was relatively more posterior, located 18% from the posterior edge of the L4-L5 disc space ( P = .037). Conclusions The femoral nerve was on average more posteriorly located at the L4-L5 disc space in the prone position compared to lateral decubitus. This more posterior location allows for a larger safe zone at the L4-L5 disc space, which may decrease the incidence of neurologic complications associated with Lateral lumbar interbody fusion in the prone vs lateral decubitus position; however, further studies are needed to evaluate this possible clinical correlation.

Lumbar plexus conduction anesthesia Degenhardt (Zentr. f. Chir., 1926, № 25)

Degenhardt (Zentr. F. Chir., 1926, No. 25) in 48 cases successfully applied conduction anesthesia of the lumbar plexus according to Stchlesinger y during operations in the groin and pelvic regions and on the lower extremities, and for inguinal hernias he had to additionally anesthetize D12, and for operations in the pelvic region - n. ischiadicus.