Efficacy and Safety of Two-Level Block of Brachial Plexus in Surgeries on Proximal Upper Extremity

Abstract

Study results for 71 patients (mean age 58.3±3.4 years) who were operated on for the injury of shoulder joint, upper and middle humerus are presented. Surgical intervention was performed under regional anesthesia. Block of superficial cervical plexus and intercostobrachial nerve was applied in all cases. Additionally in the main group (n=37) two-level block of brachial plexus (BBP): interscalene blockade in complex with supraclavicular one was used, in control group (n=34) — one-level block, i.e. either interscalene or supraclavicular was performed. Pain syndrome was assessed by visual analogue scale. It was shown that in surgical interventions on proximal upper extremity two-level BBP provided higher quality of anesthetic effect and postoperative analgesia, enabled to decrease the expenditure of opioid analgesics within the first postoperative day and, hence, the risk of related side effects development. Number of complications was not significantly different between the two groups.