Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Hypoxia following interscalene block.

Melissa Rose1, Timothy J Ness

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0007, USA.

Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
|January 19, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Association of Niacin Intake, Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Paediatric Patients: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Pediatric obesity·2026
Same author

Transitional Pain Services and Clinics: A Scoping Review of Recent Literature.

Journal of pain research·2026
Same author

NAADP-mediated calcium release promotes angiopoietin 2 secretion by regulating Rab46-dependent Weibel-Palade body trafficking.

Cell calcium·2025
Same author

Paediatric Gastrointestinal Procedural Patterns in New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Journal of paediatrics and child health·2025
Same author

Latent bladder hypersensitivity induced by neonatal cystitis in rats unmasked by segmental but not hetero-segmental inflammation.

Neuroscience letters·2024
Same author

Use of Baclofen Premedication as an Analgesic Adjuvant in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy: A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Randomized Trial.

Cureus·2024

Interscalene brachial plexus blocks can cause complications. In this case, a patient developed acute hypoxia and shortness of breath, possibly due to a pulmonary thromboembolus after the procedure.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Vascular Surgery

Background:

  • Interscalene brachial plexus block is a common regional anesthesia technique for shoulder and upper arm surgeries.
  • Potential complications include phrenic nerve paralysis, intravascular injection, and cervical epidural block.
  • Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is a rare but serious complication associated with regional anesthesia.

Observation:

  • A 43-year-old male with end-stage renal disease experienced acute hypoxia, chest pain, shortness of breath, and hemoptysis immediately after an interscalene brachial plexus block.
  • The patient's oxygen saturation dropped from 99% to 85%.
  • Imaging revealed an elevated hemidiaphragm, with a spiral CT suggesting acute pulmonary thromboemboli.

Findings:

  • The patient's symptoms were presumed to be secondary to an acute pulmonary thromboembolus (PTE) in conjunction with phrenic nerve paralysis.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The interscalene block procedure, involving manipulation and vasodilation, may have contributed to the dislodgement of a pre-existing upper extremity thrombus.
  • The diagnosis of PTE was uncertain despite CT findings.

    • Implications:

    • This case highlights a potential, albeit rare, complication of interscalene brachial plexus blocks.
    • Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for PTE in patients presenting with acute hypoxia and respiratory distress post-block.
    • Further investigation into the relationship between regional anesthesia techniques and thromboembolic events is warranted.