Analgesic effect of low-dose levobupivacaine for ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block for arthroscopic shoulder surgery

Background: Ultrasound guided-interscalene brachial plexus block (US-ISBPB) becomes more popular and has higher success rate. The aim of this study was to assess the analgesic effectiveness of US-ISBPB with low dose levobupivacaine for arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Methods: The thirty patients undergoing elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery were randomly assigned to two groups: Group B0.5, and Group B0.25 received ultrasound-guided ISBPB using same volume 10 ml of 0.5% levobupivacaine and 0.25% levobupivacaine, respectively. General anesthesia was standardized. All patients received continuous intra-articular infusion of a local anesthetic. Remifentanil consumption during operation, verbal numerical rating scales (VNRS) after operation were assessed. The need for rescue analgesics in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), sleep quality, and complications were documented. Results: There were no significant differences in VNRS at 20 min, 30 min, 60 min, 120 min, 8 h, 24 h after surgery, remifentanil consumption during operation, the number of patients required rescue analgesics in the PACU, sleep quality, and complication up to 24 h after surgery. Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block with levobupivacaine, 10 ml of 0.5% and 0.25%, provides effective analgesia after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2009; 57: 302∼7)