European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: Supraclavicular brachial plexus block could be an alternative and provide comparable
effective anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia for shoulder surgery. Interscalene brachial plexus
blockade is the standard nerve block for analgesia after arthroscopic and open shoulder surgery.
Material and Methods: This is a Prospective, observational and descriptive study conducted in the
Department of Anaesthesia at Nimra Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) over a period of 1 year. These
patients were divided into two groups by simple random method; the patients were divided into group
IRD (interscalene block using 30 ml of ropivacaine 0.5% + 50 μg of dexmedetomidine) and another
group (supraclavicular block using 30 ml of ropivacaine 0.5% + 50 μg of dexmedetomidine). The
procedure was conducted using nerve stimulator technique.
Results: The mean time of the onset of sensory block in supraclavicular group was 3.50±0.83, in
interscalene was 3.1±0.62 and onset of motor block (min) was 3.60±0.62 in supraclavicular group, in
interscalene was 3.21±0.54. The duration of sensory block was 495.53±49.41 min and 759.42±84.15 min
in supraclavicular group and interscalene block respectively. Moreover, duration motor block (min) in
supraclavicular group was 438.52±47.32, in interscalene was 659.23±38.74.
Conclusions: The onset of sensory and motor block was significantly faster in interscalene techniques
then supraclavicular. Prolonged duration of sensory and motor block followed by interscalene and
supraclavicular approaches, respectively.