A Retrospective Analysis of the Analgesic and Adverse Effects of Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block During Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

Objective: Interscalene block (ISB) has become an accepted and effective technique of anesthetic and perioperative analgesia, in arthroscopic shoulder surgery. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate a series of patients who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery under combined ISB and general anesthesia. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed consisting 641 patients who had ISB performed between June 2007 – January 2013 for success rates, side effects and complications. Results: The overall success rate of the blocks was 96.5%, with a mean postoperative analgesia time of 15.5 hours. While no patient suffered permanent nerve injury as a result of ISB, the most common complication noted in this analysis was local anesthetic-related convulsion, which occurred in only one patient. Conclusion: Interscalene block and general anesthesia combination, which provides high patient satisfaction with low side effects and complication profile, can be recommended for patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Keywords: Shoulder, arthroscopy, brachial plexus block, general anesthesia