[Analgesia after surgery of the shoulder]

Postoperative pain after shoulder surgery is known to be intense and requires usually opioid administration. The recent use of regional anaesthesia for this type of surgery has contributed to the relief of acute postoperative pain occurring in the recovery room since the analgesic effects of block persist for several hours after surgery depending upon the selected drug. Moreover, the development of less invasive surgery (arthroscopy) and experience with regional blocks have permitted to perform minor shoulder surgery on an outpatient basis. For minor surgery, regional anaesthesia associated to a light sedation is sufficient. However, for more invasive surgery, regional anaesthesia should be associated to a light general anaesthesia as well as the insertion of a supraclavicular catheter for postoperative analgesia. A diaphragmatic paresis secondary to a blockade of the phrenic nerve is constant radiologically after interscalenic block but remains symptomless. However, in case of severe preoperative chronic respiratory insufficiency, decompensation may occur rapidly after performance of the interscalenic block.