Search

Rib fractures carry high morbidity and mortality due to pain-related complications, such as hypoventilation, atelectasis, and pneumonia. Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia is a common treatment for pain associated with rib fractures. But, due to a variety of reasons, ultrasound images can be ambiguous or unhelpful. In these instances, it is advantageous to have a tactile or landmark-based approach to treating rib fracture pain. We present a case of a continuous retrolaminar nerve block catheter placed without ultrasound guidance in a 67-year-old man with oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a prior intrathecal pump, who presents with multiple unilateral rib fractures.

To the Editor We read with great interest the brief technical report ‘Opening injection pressure monitoring using an in-line device does not prevent intraneural injection in an isolate nerve model’ by Mejia et al .[1][1] We do concur with their findings but believe that a clarification should