[Effect of interscalene block on perioperative pain during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR)].

Background: There are some reports stating that interscalene block is effective in relieving perioperative pain during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), and we used this procedure for ARCR in our department since May 2011.

Methods: We examined the effect of interscalene block on the blood pressure variability during ARCR. For this purpose, we used standard deviation (SD) of each blood pressure data, recorded every 5 minutes during operation as the blood pressure variability. We compared the SD between non-block group, who had only general anesthesia and block group, who received interscalene brachial plexus block before induction of general anesthesia with 0.2-0.375% ropivacaine 10-20 ml. In addition, we compared the doses of fentanyl administered during operation, between the block group and non-block group.

Results: The average systolic blood pressure was lower during operation than that before anesthesia in both groups, but a significant reduction was not shown in percentage, in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. As for the blood pressure variability during operation, SDs of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 11.1 mmHg and 6.9 mmHg in average in block group, and they were both lower than those in non-block group, 17.5 mmHg and 9.8 mmHg. Total fentanyl consumption in block group was 40 microg on average, significantly reduced than that in non-block group, 150 microg.

Conclusions: Single-shot interscalene block before ARCR reduced both blood pressure variability and the dose of fentanyl given during operation.