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Published on: September 13, 2020
Efficacy of Phrenic Nerve Catheter in Ipsilateral Shoulder Pain After Thoracic Surgery
Linda Le-Wendling1, Barys Ihnatsenka1, Adrian J Maurer1
1Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, USA.
Abstract:
The mechanism of ipsilateral shoulder pain (ISP) after thoracic surgery remains unexplained definitively in the literature. Regional techniques targeting specific nerves more precisely will provide practitioners with a better understanding of the pain source. We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who underwent robotic-assisted plication of the right hemidiaphragm. ISP was adequately managed using a low-volume infusion through a continuous phrenic nerve block in addition to a thoracic epidural for her chest pain. ISP after thoracic surgery likely originates from diaphragm manipulation. Phrenic nerve blockade is a successful strategy that does not worsen subjective dyspnea in this setting.
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