Regional anesthesia for arthroscopic shoulder surgeries

Abstract

Shoulder arthroscopic operations may produce severe postoperative pain. Interscalene block (ISB) offers effective analgesia following shoulder surgical treatment, but considerations regarding its potential risks have motivated the explore for replacements. Suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) is the most often performed regional nerve block. Recently, the shoulder block, which combines the suprascapular nerve block with an axillary nerve (AN) block, has been proposed as an alternative to ISB, however proof of its effectiveness is inconsistent. The AN supplies the anterior, lateral, and inferior tissues of the shoulder joint, as well as the deltoid muscle and some fibers to the teres minor. The AN furthermore innervates the deltoid muscle skin.