Villar Tania, Pacreu Susana, Zalbidea Maite, Montes Antonio
Department of Anaesthesia and Reanimation, Hospital del Mar, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
Department of Anaesthesia and Reanimation, Hospital del Mar, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain.
Injury. 2015 Jul;46(7):1409-10. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2015.03.014. Epub 2015 Mar 16.
The interscalene block (ISB) of the brachial plexus is a common technique for anaesthesia and the treatment of postoperative pain in shoulder surgery. Despite the well-known advantages of this technique, it is not without risks that need to be identified and taken into account. The most frequent complications associated with it are of a neurological nature and most are transient. It has been shown that the use of nerve stimulation does not guarantee a safe block. Ultrasound guidance now makes it possible to visualise potentially dangerous structures, thus allowing us to reduce the risk of associated complications. We present the case of a patient with transient dysphonia secondary to recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. We also discuss briefly the most common complications associated with the technique.
