Drug-dependent analgesic efficacy in interscalene block for postoperative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a comparison between ropivacaine and levobupivacaine.

Background: Interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) provides high analgesic efficacy for postoperative pain. However, different drug efficacies remain unclear. This retrospective study compared the efficacy of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine in a single-dose ISB for pain control after ARCR.

Methods: This study included 173 patients who underwent ARCR; they were divided into the ISBR group (n = 61) that received ISB with 20 mL 0.375% ropivacaine and 3.3 mg dexamethasone, and the ISBL group (n = 112) that received ISB with 20 mL 0.25% levobupivacaine and 3.3 mg dexamethasone. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were evaluated at 1, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours, postoperatively. Rebound pain was defined as a difference of ≥ 5 points between the highest and lowest VAS pain scores.

Results: The mean VAS pain scores at 1 hour were not significantly different between the groups. ISBL administration resulted in significantly lower VAS pain scores at 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours than ISBR administration. Rebound pain rates in the ISBR and ISBL groups were 41.0% and 17.9%, respectively. Rebound pain was more frequent in the ISBR than in the ISBL group.

Conclusion: ISB with levobupivacaine and dexamethasone can provide more effective postoperative pain control after ARCR than ropivacaine and dexamethasone.