Unilateral Phrenic Nerve Block after Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block / 대한마취과학회지

ABSTRACT

The incidence of phrenic nerve block following brachial plexus block, performed above clavicle, have varied widely. However, respiratory difficulty due to unilateral phrenic nerve block is rare complication of brachial plexus blocks, We experienced a case of symptomatic unilateral phrenic nerve block after supraclavicular approsch in thirty-four-year old woman. For brachial plexus block, 30 ml of 1.5% lidocaine and 0.2 mg of epinephrine were injected. Twenty five minutes after injection, she complained of respiratory difficulty. At recovery room, she complained sharp chest pain at apex of heart and epigastrium. We diagnosed her case as right phrenic nerve block because her right diaphragm was normal contour but was markedly displaced upward in portable chest X-ray. Respiratory difficulty was recovered 5 hours after injection and her chest pain was recovered 9 hours after injection.