Efficacy Comparison Between Interscalene Block with and Without Superficial Cervical Plexus Block for Anesthesia in...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Regional Anesthesia

Background:

• Clavicle fractures are common shoulder injuries, often managed non-surgically.
• Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary for clavicle fractures.
• Regional anesthesia (RA) offers an alternative to general anesthesia (GA) for clavicle fracture surgery, potentially reducing complications and costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of interscalene block (ISB) versus ISB combined with superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) for clavicle fracture operations.
• To evaluate if adding SCPB to ISB improves anesthetic outcomes for clavicle fracture surgery.

Main Methods:

• A double-blinded, non-inferiority clinical trial involving 120 patients undergoing clavicle fracture surgery.
• Patients were randomized into two groups: ISB alone or ISB with SCPB.
• Primary outcome was conversion to GA; secondary outcomes included surgery duration, block initiation time, postoperative analgesia, and sedation levels.

Main Results:

• No patients in either group required conversion to general anesthesia, indicating successful regional anesthesia for all participants.
• There were no statistically significant differences between the ISB and ISB with SCPB groups in terms of nerve block initiation, surgery duration, sedation, pain scores (VAS), or analgesic consumption.
• Both anesthetic techniques demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety profiles.

Conclusions:

• Interscalene block (ISB) alone is as effective as combining it with a superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) for providing regional anesthesia in clavicle fracture surgery.
• ISB is a viable and efficient regional anesthesia approach for managing clavicle fractures, eliminating the need for general anesthesia in this study.
• The addition of SCPB to ISB does not offer significant additional benefits for this specific surgical procedure.